Embers
by Lillianpeace
Summary: Eric grew up in Erudite along with Cara, and their other best friend Percy. But the one thing Eric didn't understand was love, the way Cara and Percy would coddle their siblings Will and Wyatt. He escaped his faction during the Ceremony , it had been five years since Percy died after the final test, five years to the day he saw Wyatt and Will at a table in Dauntless. A good read!
1. Erudite

**Here is a new Divergent story since my other series One Choice is coming to an end. This starts as Eric's point of view until the third chapter, I am not the best but not the worse when it comes to writing. Thank you for reading and please review…PS… I don't own Divergent so no money has been made. Yes, she will be Tobias sister, because that is my favorite pairing, not romantic but sibling pairing, this isn't Westeros people.**

I was in a better word livid, my mother as per her normal behavior was acting like some alien robotic life form send here to destroy all human happiness. She acts like I am not even her son, granted I am fifteen and in a single year I will be gone from this hellhole. My father was the only good thing about Erudite, I go to school only to come home and do more projects, because why the hell not its Erudite. I get up from bed pulling on black slacks matched with a dark blue button up, oh let us not forget my glasses, fake since my vision is 20/20 like my fathers.

I tie my long hair back, every time it grows out its rather nasty looking. I have long black hair, dark cold eyes but a rather sexy smirk, to boot I look like my father with his build. But my brains are my mothers, were they a gift or curse?

I grab my books heading from my room seeing my parents at the table eating, but not talking, I was the glue that holds them together, plus divorce was almost impossible. I take my seat taking some eggs and pork sausage not talking just wanting to hurry and leave this desolate environment for a little.

My father's stare gets my attention "You have beefed up son, guess soon your muscles will dwarf your brains," he said jokingly but mother made a rather stern cough to get our attention "You should be more concentrated on your studies, all these nonessential extra activities to get your body to look bigger when it is your brain that matters," I should have known she get this way after a single joke.

"Jeanine, must you be so cruel? Go to school Eric," my father was getting angry, I sometimes had to remember my father was a Dauntless born, he never grew up here. I just left them to argue, Cara and Allison wait in the front of the large stairs leading from the building.

"Hey Eric," it was Cara I noticed her little brother Will was standing with her he was eleven, and a fucking pain in my ass, but she adored the ground he walked on.

"Hello ladies," I smiled but neither of them had any real appeal to me "Wait for us," was screamed as all of us turned seeing my best friend Percy and his little brat of a sister Wyatt, she had a mouth and the brains to match.

"Come on man, drag the brat," I called out seeing his face turn cold "Shut the fuck up Eric," now if Cara was bad he was worse by far, she was adopted years ago when she was a year old, she was great back than because I was five. Guess her mother was banished and because Percy's mother was best friends with my own, she was able to take the woman's child for her own.

Wyatt walked with her best friend Will, Wyatt's hair was bouncing as she talked to Will while we all walked to school. "So Percy and I saw a shooting star last night," she rambled.

"What did you wish for you sweet angel?" Cara asked in a soft voice looking interested in the baby's talking "I wished with all my heart, Cara. I wished for Eric to get hit by the bus and to die a painful death. Because having to see his ugly face every day, hearing his banter makes me ill. I mean does he even wash his hair, it drips some sort of fluid," I was going to murder this brat, her round chocolate eyes bore into mine, she had chubby cheeks that had everyone fooled. She was smirking as Cara and Allison laughed, Will and Percy joined in.

"At least I wasn't adopted," but she just scoffed but it was a sore spot for her "Well at least my parents chose me, yours got stuck with you." She snapped back as I made a move to whack her.

"Touch a hair on her head and I will kill you," the two girls closed in on me "Leave my baby sister alone Matthews," he growled he was built like a boulder and wouldn't hesitate to fight me.

"Percy, you do understand she started it right?" I asked but he just sighed "She is eleven," he says as I just groan as the girls walk the little assholes. I had better things to do since we finally arrived at school, Amity are getting off the truck in their red and yellow all laughing and singing some annoying song. Abnegation filed off the bus Wyatt prayed I was run down by, I see Eaton walking his head turned a fraction of an inch at a girl around the brats age, her nose rather large her blonde hair in a bun at the nape of her neck.

"Come on let's go mess with Amity or some Abnegation," Percy smiled as we left them, I should have known, Percy stopped right as we got to two Amity's. "Shoot I forgot,"

"Forgot what?" I asked but he was already hauling ass back to Wyatt who was chatting with a few Candor, Erudite with Will as Cara and Allison stuck close by with two other female Erudite. Wyatt stood smiling with such a damn smug smile aimed right at me in her form fitting blue dress with white trim, I was going to seriously hurt her one day. Percy picked her right up cuddling her close before kissing her head placing her ass back down, he was a push over when it was about Wyatt.

I bumped into some random Candor knocking them down before I moved on, Eaton was standing with another boy clad in the dull gray they loved so damn much. His dark blue eyes turn to mine in a challenging way "Sorry forgot to say bye," he chuckled as he stood next to me.

"You forgot to act like a fucking marshmallow, it's embarrassing. You coddle that demon every day," I don't think before I talk, but I feel the pain as his ham sized fist nails my upper jaw.

"I warned you Eric, you aren't going to sit here and talk bad about my sister. She can be rude, but that's towards you only. She is very caring; you just refuse to see her as anything but a demon." Because she was.

But when I look up I see Wyatt on the floor helping the blonde bun wearing large nosed girl in Abnegation, who's book bag fell her books and papers falling out. Wyatt's small hand on the crying girls shoulder as two older Erudite's laughed. Wyatt's eyes darkened as she glared up, her small fist balling up "You think it is funny to pick on a little girl. We value intelligence and wisdom, but with you Neanderthals are the reason most think Erudites thirst for knowledge, that we are the ones easily susceptible to corruption as knowledge leads to lust for power." Her tiny pitched voice carried as she scolded them, her brother ready to murder.

They looked down at the two girls both rather small for their age as Will tried to stand in front of Wyatt, but they just shoved him to the floor grabbing Wyatt when Percy growled.

"DID YOU JUST PUT YOUR DIRTY HANDS ON MY BABY BROTHER?" was screeched from down the hall, Percy was gone heading towards our faction members, but Cara her blonde hair flying in all her fury. Eaton and another boy pulled the Abnegation girl away from the fight. I wondered why Percy and Cara cared so much. Then it hit me, that sounded like my mother.

Well there wasn't a fight as two teacher broke it up and Percy and Cara walked their angelic beings to their first class. "Eric, one day you will find someone you care about. But with your attitude she might not be bothered to care for you. I see the way you look at Cara and Percy like there is something wrong with the love they feel for Will and Wyatt. I adore them both, pretty cool little devils," we head to class together, I finally bumped into Eaton knocking his lean frame into the chair "Oh sorry," I smirked but his face gave nothing away. Classes were boring when you seemed to grasp everything so easy.

I sit in History listening "As you all know, the Great World War, or World War 3 was inevitable after one Donald Trump had taken the world by storm, bringing racism to new heights, his views on a wide range of global topics brought much destruction to Earth. Countries using nuclear weapons until nothing was left. Now we are here, I want an essay by Friday on this topic," he spoke in a stern tone.

I was ready to leave, as everyone was rushing from the building, Dauntless are climbing the statue without any fear. I smirked, one day I would be one, I would be Dauntless like my father before me.

"No Wyatt!" was called when I noticed a dark skinned boy helping Wyatt climb the statue "My brother meant no harm, names Zeke," the boy explained.

"Its fine, she gets herself into trouble. Wyatt mom would toss a fit if you came home with skinned knees you devil," Percy smiled at her but his voice was firm as she waved to the two boys in black trailing after Percy and I with Will.

"Cara and Allison will meet Us at home, they had something to do. So Will I will drop you at home, no worries," Percy was happy most of the time.

Erudite was up in arms when we arrived, my mother's large framed portrait hung "Seems Norton is out as leader and your insane mother is in. I feel Erudite is taking a drastic turn, Eric. Wyatt grab Will, we are heading to our apartment," Percy sounded very cold now, it was rare.

My mother was walking over "Eric we need to talk," her voice cold.

 **Please review…**


	2. A change made

_**Hello, here is the second chapter of my new story. I only own new characters and ideas, no money is being made from my writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Please review! (Also, outfits and character pictures are on my polyvore Noellamonster please check them out!)**_

Today was the day…

I don't normally do this but I pause by a window in the E Wing and wait for the Dauntless to arrive. At exactly 7:25 the Dauntless prove their bravery by jumping from a moving train. That was more skill than bravery, defiance is bravery. Am I going to anger mother tomorrow, she asked me a year ago to either join Amity or Candor because she had someone in Dauntless and in Abnegation. Mother wanted power, to rule every faction in turn, she was smart enough, manipulative enough to do it. I was in no way joining the Banjo strumming softies or the loud mouth Candors, I would rather stay in Erudite.

I move from my spot heading towards Percy who was looking out a window, his face much like mine. I knew he wanted to stay in Erudite for Wyatt, but he was too peaceful, but he was smart to. "Hey," I say getting his attention.

"Hey Eric, so are you ready for the test today?" he tried to act as if nothing was bothering him "I am ready. So what is honestly wrong? Is it the fact you don't want to stay in Erudite but don't want to leave your she-devil of a little sister?" I asked but now it was teasing, I barley heard Wyatt anymore, she grew up over this last year. Started losing her baby fat, she hung with Will and Cara, she was wicked smart, or so I had heard.

"Yes Eric, there is a lot you don't understand. Our mother is just like yours, our dad is dead. I mean look how my mother got the little girl she craved, she stole her from some Abnegation factionless woman. How cruel can she be, yeah Wyatt is better off with us, but taken the way she was. I don't want Wyatt to turn out like them, so cold, she is on her way. She isn't as happy anymore, never smiles, doesn't talk just reads books until 2 am, does work for our mothers. I hear them talking about how high her IQ is, I worry, Cara does to," Granted I noticed she was acting different but I just didn't care.

"Boys class," Cara cut me off from talking "Sorry mom," I snapped walking off leaving my friends behind.

The test begins after lunch. We sit at the long tables in the cafeteria, and the test administrators call ten names at a time, one for each testing room. We Erudite chatter over books and newspapers, in constant pursuit of knowledge. Cara and Allison have taken Will and Wyatt under their wings, each with a thick book in front of them. Cara and Allison I have no doubt will stay in Erudite. Percy and Cara's names are called in the next group. They move confidently toward the usually hidden doors. I don't need to wish them luck or assure them that they shouldn't be nervous. He knows where he belongs and so does she, but out of habit I look to Wyatt, her eyes wide, she looked innocent as she gazed at her brother before breaking out in a smile.

I close my eyes and keep them closed until ten minutes later, when Percy sits down again. He is plaster-pale. He pushes his palms along his legs like I do when I wipe off sweat, and when he brings them back, his fingers shake. What the hell happened in there? Or was it he didn't get Erudite? Cara comes out with faint color in her pale cheeks, her red lined lips smiling taking her seat.

An Abnegation volunteer speaks the next round of names. Two from  
Dauntless, two from Abnegation, two from Amity, two from Candor, and  
then: From Erudite: Allison Franklin and Eric Matthews. I get up from my seat moving towards the gray clad man, I glance back seeing my friends looking at me, I winked. Waiting for us outside the cafeteria is a row of ten rooms. They are used only for the aptitude tests, so I have never been in one before. Unlike the other rooms in the school, they are separated, not by glass, but by mirrors. I watch myself, pale and rather handsome walking toward one of the doors. Allison grins nervously at me as she walks into room 5, and I walk into room 6, where an Amity woman waits for me.

She is pretty with her dark hair and dark eyes, her body clad in a bright red she had a slender frame. But I couldn't ever live in Amity. Mirrors cover the inner walls of the room. I can see my reflection from all angles: the blue fabric of my button up shirt, my black slacks. The ceiling glows white with light. In the center of the room is a reclined chair, like a dentist, with a machine next to it. It looks like a place where terrible things happen. 

"Don't worry, the woman says, it doesn't hurt."

I am not scared.

"Have a seat and get comfortable, she says. My name is Krissy," she smiled as I moved over to the chair, I was a little too tall for it but it reclined none the less. I corrected my position putting my head in the headrest, while Krissy made herself useful with the machine on my right. I try to focus on her and not on the wires in her hands. But this doesn't last long. She attached an electrode to my forehead, and then another all while humming some song. She now puts one of the electrodes connecting to me to her own forehead, before standing behind me tugging the wires towards her, connecting her, the machine, and myself as one. My hands brace with enough force to rip the arm rest off of their hinges; she passed me vial of clear liquid.

"Drink this," she says.

"What is it? I asked in a dead tone.

"Can't tell you that. Just trust me."

I press air from my lungs and tip the contents of the vial into

my mouth. My eyes close. When they open, an instant has passed, but I am somewhere else. I stand in the school cafeteria again, but all the long tables are empty, and I see through the glass walls that it's snowing. On the table in front of me are two baskets. In one is a hunk of cheese, and in the other, a knife the length of half my forearm.

Behind me, a woman's voice says, Choose. No…my mother's voice.

"Why?" I ask as if she would answer me back, but to her my results meant nothing.

"Choose," she repeats.

I look over my shoulder, but she isn't there. I turn back to the

baskets. What will I do with them?

"Choose!" she yells, good old mother.

When she screams at me, any lingering fear disappears and stubbornness

replaces it. I smirk and cross my arms.

"Have it your way," she says.

The baskets disappear. I hear a door squeak and turn to see who it is. I see not a who but a what: A dog with a pointed nose stands a few yards away from me. It crouches low and creeps toward me, its lips peeling back from its white teeth. A growl gurgles from deep in its throat, and I see why the cheese would have come in handy. Or the knife. But it's too late now, I could wrestle the mutt to the ground and snap its neck, I could even run but where to?

The dog snarls, and I can almost feel the sound vibrating in my  
skull. My old textbook said that dogs can smell fear because of a  
chemical secreted by human glands in a state of duress, the same  
chemical a dogs' prey secretes. Smelling fear leads them to attack. The dog inches toward me, it's nails scraping the floor. I can't run. I can fight. Instead I breathe in the smell of the dog's foul breath so close to my face. There are no whites in its eyes, just a black gleam. What else do I know about dogs? I shouldn't look it in the eye. That's a sign of aggression. I remember asking my mother for a pet dog when I was young, and now, staring at the ground in front of the dogs' paws, I can't remember why. It comes closer, still growling. If staring into its eyes is a sign of aggression, what's a sign of submission? 

My breaths are loud but steady. I sink to my knees. The last thing I want to do is lie down on the ground in front of the dog making its teeth level with my face but it's the best option I have, technically no, I should just snap its neck. I stretch my legs out behind me and lean on my elbows. The dog creeps closer, and closer, until I feel its warm breath on my face. My arms are firm and steady.

It barks in my ear, and I clench my teeth.

Something rough and wet touches my cheek. The dogs growling stops, and when I lift my head to look at it again, it is panting. It licked my face. I frown and sit on my heels. The dog props its paws up on my knees and licks my chin. I cringe, wiping the drool from my skin, and laugh.

"You're not such a vicious beast, huh?"

I get up slowly so I don't startle it, but it seems like a different animal than the one that faced me a few seconds ago. I stretch out a hand, carefully, so I can draw it back if I need to. The dog nudges my hand with its head. I am suddenly glad I  
didn't pick up the knife. I blink, and when my eyes open, a child, wait no it's Wyatt, she stands across the room wearing a white dress. She stretches out both hands and squeals,  
"Puppy!"

As she runs toward the dog at my side, I open my mouth to warn  
her, but I am too late. The dog turns. Instead of growling, it barks and snarls and snaps, and its muscles bunch up like coiled wire. About to pounce. I don't think, I just jump; I hurl my body on top of the dog, wrapping my arms around its thick neck, it dies with no pain, it was a fast death.

The dog is gone, and so is the little devil Wyatt. Instead I am alone in the testing room, now empty. I turn in a slow circle and can't see myself in any of the mirrors. I push the door open and walk into the hallway, but it isn't a hallway; the door open and walk into the hallway, but it isn't a hallway; it's a bus, and all the seats are taken.

I stand in the aisle and hold on to a pole. Sitting near me is a man with a newspaper. I can't see his face over the top of the paper, but I can see his hands. They are scarred, like he was burned, and they clench around the paper like he wants to crumple it.

"Do you know this guy?" he asks. He taps the picture on the front  
page of the newspaper. The headline reads: Brutal Murderer  
Finally Apprehended! I stare at the word murderer. It has been a  
long time since I last read that word, but even its shape fills me with dread.

In the picture beneath the headline is a young man with a plain  
face and a beard. I feel like I do know him, though I don't remember how. And at the same time, I feel like it would be a bad idea to tell the man that.

"Well?" I hear anger in his voice. "Do you?"

A bad idea no, a very bad idea. If I tell him I know the man from the article, something awful will happen to me. But I can convince him that I don't. I can clear my throat and shrug my shoulders but that would be a lie and that's okay.

I clear my throat.

"Do you?" he repeats.

I shrug my shoulders in a "I really don't care" fashion.

"Well?"

A shudder goes through me. My fear is irrational; this is just a test, it isn't real. "No," I say my voice firm. "No idea who he is."

He stands, and finally I see his face. He wears dark sunglasses and his mouth is bent into a snarl. His cheek is rippled with scars, like his hands. He leans close to my face. His breath smells like cigarettes.

"You're lying, he says. You're lying!"

"It doesn't matter if I am or not," I say back, I was cold and cruel and it all shinned out through my voice at this moment.

"I can see it in your eyes."

"Well you must be blind," I quip back.

"If you know him", he says in a low voice, "you could save me. You

could save me!"

I narrow my eyes. "I only care about saving myself, I don't know him," it was final.

I wake to sweaty palms and a weird feeling in my chest. I am lying in the chair in the mirrored room. When I tilt my head back, I see Krissy behind me. She pinches her lips together and removes electrodes from our heads. I wait for her to say something about the test that it's over, or that I did well, although how could I do poorly on a test like this? But she says nothing, just pulls the wires from my forehead.

I sit forward and wipe my palms off on my slacks. I had to have done something wrong, even if it only happened in my mind. I wish she would just come out with it.

"You received Erudite Eric Matthews," I wasn't shocked.

I head back to my friends, who are still waiting, Percy is with Cara and them as I take a seat across from Will "How much longer until we can leave?" I asked.

"Now since we have all completed our test. Will and Wyatt, ready to leave?" Cara stood, my eyes dart to Wyatt, how was she in the aptitude test?

 **The next day…**

I watched as Dauntless cheered welcoming Percy to their ranks, but a small sob could be heard as well. Few looked over at Erudite, I did and so did Percy, all we saw was Wyatt running from the ceremony, away from Percy.

"Matthew's, Eric," I walked with my back straight taking the knife, letting the blood pool in my hand before defying my mother, the lit coals of Dauntless sizzled as I moved towards them, sparing my parents a single look. Mother was furious but my father stood cheering.

"I hurt her, I love that girl, my baby sister." Percy mumbled "She will come around Percy. She is just pissed," but Wyatt had a stubborn strike a mile wide. Eaton joined Dauntless before the ceremony was over until next year.


	3. After all this time

_**Hello, here is the second chapter of my new story. I only own new characters and ideas, no money is being made from my writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Please review! (Also, outfits and character pictures are on my polyvore Noellamonster please check them out!)**_

My Aptitude test was over…

I only vaguely felt bad that Cara had to cover my tracks, how could I have been Divergent? I wasn't Candor, but I was Erudite, Dauntless, Amity, and Abnegation this seemed a rather great feat, but I heard the chatter around Erudite headcounters; about how they are hunting them, so nowhere was safe. I had a very serious choice to make, the safest place for me was Amity, Erudite they would use the scanner on all new initiate's, faction's transfers, and Erudite born. I wasn't safe there anymore, Abnegation was not safe they are on Mrs. Matthews list, Dauntless wasn't safe they say Percy killed himself there, but he was so happy he snuck letters to me, he was happy, he had been dating a girl named Shauna.

I dressed for the dreadful day ahead, a blue and white mini dress an elegant with a classic design, the dress top was white lace, with a mock neck and long sleeves, blue mini skirt length, with brass buttons, and ruffle hem that barely reached my knees. Navy blue cut out lace up platform heels and my black glasses are all I bring with me; we aren't allowed anything more. My hair well passed my rear now, my face filled out after I lost the weight, I was elegant as my mother put it but a few boys have said I am gorgeous.

"Jeanine just alerted me of your test results, my darling," mother smiled "But that is against the rules," I retort but she waves it off "Not for us dear," this higher than thou had been getting very out of control; ironic that control is what they sought.

"Come we must hurry," she droned on as we exited our apartment, I smiled once we saw Will and his sister Cara, my personal Angel. "Come on," he gave me a smile we are nothing but friends, he deserves a great girl.

"Mrs. Tomlin, Jeanine asked you ride with her today. I will ensure Wyatt makes it to The Hub in the condition you leave her in," Cara had this soft voice, people loved her. I knew we lived close so it wasn't a bother to walk, well I was in these dreadful shoes.

"Thank you dear," then mother left without a word "Okay you two, I just have a feeling you are going to the same faction. I will miss you both so very much, you must watch out for each other, understand," she rambled as we walked with more Erudites, Allison was catching up to us.

"I haven't chosen yet," I laugh at her but her face doesn't change "In the back of your mind you have already," I haven't chosen yet, but I knew Will had, but he has yet to tell me his choice.

I have to tilt my head back to see the top of the Hub, and even then, part of it disappears into the clouds. It is the tallest building in the city. we take the elevator to the 20th floor seeing a man holding the door open, he has a kind face, his clothes and jester say he is Abnegation. "Thank you, sir," I say as we passed when Will nor Cara said a word to this man.

"You're welcome," he smiled, I followed them in seeing my mother chatting with Jeanine Matthews, she was evil, I remember her son Eric was just as bad at times.

The room is arranged in concentric circles. On the edges stand the sixteen-year-olds of every faction. We are not called members yet; our decisions today will make us initiates, and we will become members if we complete initiation.

We arrange ourselves in alphabetical order, according to the last names we may leave behind today. I stand between Miles Smith and Amy Tazman, an Amity girl with rosy cheeks and a yellow dress. Rows of chairs for our families make up the next circle. They are arranged in five sections, according to faction. Not everyone in each faction comes to the Choosing Ceremony, but enough of them each faction comes to the Choosing Ceremony, but enough of them come that the crowd looks huge.

The responsibility to conduct the ceremony rotates from faction to faction each year, and this year is Abnegations. Marcus will give the opening address and read the names in reverse alphabetical order. Will, will choose before me with his blonde shaggy hair and a crease between his eyebrows. Physically, he was pale and solid, with an easy smile and green eyes the color of celery that glinted with mischief and light.

In the last circle are five metal bowls so large they could hold my entire body, if I curled up. Each one contains a substance that represents each faction: gray stones for Abnegation, water for Erudite, earth for Amity, lit coals for Dauntless, and glass for Candor.

When Marcus calls my name, I will walk to the center of the three circles. I will not speak. He will offer me a knife. I will cut into my hand and sprinkle my blood into the bowl of the faction I choose.

My blood on the stones. My blood sizzling on the coals.

My mother hugs me "See you soon," she says. Without a trace of doubt.

I clench my jaw and stare up at the ceiling, I had to make the best choice for me. The room slowly comes to order. I should be observing the Dauntless; I should be taking in as much information as I can, but I can only stare at the lanterns across the room. I try to lose myself in the blue glow.

Marcus from Abnegation stands at the podium between the Erudite and the Dauntless and clears his throat into the microphone. "Welcome," he says. "Welcome to the Choosing Ceremony. Welcome to the day we honor the democratic philosophy of our ancestors, which tells us that every man has the right to choose his own way in this world."

Or, it occurs to me, one of five predetermined ways.

"Our dependents are now sixteen. They stand on the precipice of adulthood, and it is now up to them to decide what kind of people they will be. Marcus voice is solemn and gives equal weight to each word. Decades ago our ancestors realized that it is not political ideology, religious belief, race, or nationalism that is to blame for a warring world. Rather, they determined that it was the fault of human personality of human kinds inclination toward evil, in whatever form that is. They divided into factions that sought to eradicate those qualities they believed responsible for the worlds disarray."

My eyes shift to the bowls in the center of the room. What do I believe?

"Those who blamed aggression formed Amity."

The Amity exchange smiles. They are dressed comfortably, in red or yellow. Every time I see them, they seem kind, loving, free. But joining them has never held real appeal for me.

"Those who blamed ignorance became the Erudite."

This was my home faction, a place I knew I could belong and shine in.

"Those who blamed duplicity created Candor."

I have never liked Candor very much.

"Those who blamed selfishness made Abnegation."

I blame selfishness; I do, most Erudites are selfish and power hungry it seems. And those who blamed cowardice were the Dauntless.

But I am not selfless enough. Sixteen years, I am not good enough for any faction but Erudite, because I am smart.

My legs go numb, like all the life has gone out of them, and I wonder how I will walk when my name is called.

"Working together, these five factions have lived in peace for many years, each contributing to a different sector of society. Abnegation has fulfilled our need for selfless leaders in government; Candor has provided us with trustworthy and sound leaders in law; Erudite has supplied us with intelligent teachers and researchers; Amity has given us understanding counselors and caretakers; and Dauntless provides us with protection from threats both within and without. But the reach of each faction is not limited to these areas. We give one another far more than can be adequately summarized. In our factions, we find meaning, we find purpose, we find life."

I think of the motto I read in my Faction History textbook: Faction before blood. More than family, our factions are where we belong. Can that possibly be right?

Marcus adds, "Apart from them, we would not survive." This wasn't correct but none of want our faction system gone, it would be mass chaos with another great war on our hands. The silence that follows his words is heavier than other silences. It is heavy with our worst fear, greater even than the fear of death: to be factionless.

Marcus continues, "Therefore this day marks a happy occasion the day on which we receive our new initiates, who will work with us toward a better society and a better world."

A round of applause. It sounds muffled.

One by one, each sixteen-year-old steps out of line and walks to the middle of the room. The first girl to choose decides on Amity, the same faction from which she came. I watch her blood droplets fall on soil, and she stands behind their seats alone.

The room is constantly moving, a new name and a new person choosing, a new knife and a new choice. I recognize most of them, but I doubt they know me.

James Tucker, Marcus says.

James Tucker of the Dauntless is the first person to stumble on his way to the bowls. He throws his arms out and regains his balance before hitting the floor His face turns red and he walks fast to the middle of the room. When he stands in the center, he looks from the Dauntless bowl to the Candor bowl the orange flames that rise higher each moment, and the glass reflecting blue light.

Marcus offers him the knife. He breathes deeply I watch his chest rise and, as he exhales, accepts the knife. Then he drags it across his palm with a jerk and holds his arm out to the side. His blood falls onto glass, and he is the first of us to switch factions. The first faction transfer.

They will see him as a traitor from now on. His Dauntless family will have the option of visiting him in his new faction, a week and a half from now on Visiting Day, but they won't, because he left them. His absence will haunt their hallways, and he will be a space they can't fill.

I zone out because I heard Will's name called, my eyes focused now seeing him walking to the bowls, his blue suit fit him perfectly, I watched him take the knife, watched him cut himself.

The first Erudite today to be a faction transfer, next was Edward, my friends leaving. I still wasn't sure where I should go…

"Tomlin, Wyatt," I moved, my feet carrying me to the bowls, my back straight "Thank you," was muttered as I took the offered knife. It stung as I cut my palm letting the blood pool in my small hand, I was shaking as it hovered over the red tinted water, I turned to my mother seeing her smile with a firm nod, when I let go, the blood dripped making the lit coals sizzle and her face to contort to rage.

"Dauntless," was called out as I made my way to them, to Will. He was standing with a few others.

"Thank you for coming," he whispered low we watched the Prior twins called Caleb left her for Erudite while Beatrice joined Dauntless. She stood holding her hand next to me, she looked scared "Hello Beatrice, my name is Wyatt." I held my hand out to her it was bleeding but she didn't seem to care too much, she shook it with her injured hand "Hello Wyatt," her smile was shaky even.

"I hope to be friends; I only know Will really. Dauntless is supposed to be pretty harsh, my older brother was a faction transfer there five years ago, he died there too," her face looked pained.

"I am sorry Wyatt, that must have been terrible for you. We are friends," this made it better, knowing I had friends. We stood together as Will was chatting with Edward, we held hands like little girls but we just left our family, our factions behind.

I am brave…But am I brave enough to find out how Percy really died?

We watched our families leave, Beatrice's mother was smiling, as mine didn't bother to glance at me.

The people behind us press Beatrice and I forward, away from my family. My stomach wrenches and I turn away, from the now hurt face of my mother.

I glance at the boy to my left, who was Candor and now looks as pale and nervous as I should feel. I spent all my time worrying about which faction I would choose and never considered what would happen if I chose Dauntless. What waits for me at Dauntless headquarters? The crowd of Dauntless leading us go to the stairs instead of the elevators. I thought only the Abnegation used the stairs. This wasn't going to be good, my feet are hurting already in these damn heels.

Beatrice looks happy as we run.

Then everyone starts running too. I hear whoops and shouts and laughter all around me, and dozens of thundering feet moving at different rhythms. It is not a selfless act for the Dauntless to take the stairs; it is a wild act.

"What the hell is going on?" Will shouts he runs with Beatrice and I, a dark skinned Candor girl with us.

I just shake my head and keep running. I am breathless when we reach the first floor, and the Dauntless burst through the exit. Outside, the air is crisp and cold and the sky is orange from the setting sun. It reflects off the black glass of the Hub.

The Dauntless sprawl across the street, blocking the path of a bus, and we sprint to get into the middle of the crowd. My confusion dissipates as I run. I have not run anywhere in a long time. Erudite discourages anything done strictly for my own enjoyment unless its studying, reading, and that is what this is: my lungs burning, my muscles aching, the fierce pleasure of a flat-out sprint. I follow the Dauntless down the street and around the corner and hear a familiar sound: the train horn.

"Oh no," mumbles the Will. "Are we supposed to hop on that thing?" Beatrice adds.

"That would be the only logical choice, it's the way they get off it must be the way they get on the train as well," I say, breathless.

It is good that I spent so much time watching the Dauntless arrive at school. The crowd spreads out in a long line. The train glides toward us on steel rails, its light flashing, its horn blaring. The door of each car is open, waiting for the Dauntless to pile in, and they do, group by group, until only the new initiates are left. The Dauntless-born initiates are used to doing this by now, so in a second it's just faction transfers left.

I step forward with the Candor girl, Will, and Beatrice and start jogging. We run with the car for a few steps and then throw ourselves sideways. I'm not as tall or as strong as some of them, so I grasp he handle with force swinging my body into the train car landing flat on my back with a groan of pain.

I feel uneasy. Jack just failed Dauntless initiation. He is factionless now. It could happen at any moment.

"You all right? the Candor girl who helped Beatrice asks briskly. She is

tall, with dark brown skin and short hair. Pretty.

I nod.

"I'm Christina," she says, offering me her hand then to Beatrice.

.

"Beatrice," says. Looking rather odd trying to shake Christina's hand.

"Do you know where were going?" She has to shout over the wind, which blows harder through the open doors by the second. The train is picking up speed. I sit down. It will be easier to keep my balance if I'm low to the ground. She raises an eyebrow at me as if I was odd myself.

"A fast train means wind," I say. "Wind means falling out. Get down." I call over the rushing wind.

Christina sits next to me, inching back to lean against the wall. Beatrice on my other side. I had friends other than Will, in Erudite it was Cara and Allison both five years older than I.

"I guess were going to Dauntless headquarters," I say, "but I don't know where that is"

"Does anyone?" Beatrice says while she shakes her head, grinning. "It's like they just popped out of a hole in the ground or something." Christina adds.

Then the wind rushes through the car, and the other faction transfers, hit with bursts of air, fall on top of one another. I watch Christina laugh without hearing her and manage a smile.

Over my left shoulder, orange light from the setting sun reflects off the glass buildings, and I can faintly see the rows of gray houses that was Abnegation. "They're jumping off!" was screamed. 

I lift my head. My neck aches. I have been curled up with my back  
against the wall for at least a half hour, listening to the roaring wind and watching the city smear past us. I sit forward. The train has slowed down in the past few minutes, and I see that the boy who shouted is right: The Dauntless in the cars ahead of us are jumping out as the train passes a rooftop. The tracks are seven stories up. 

The idea of leaping out of a moving train onto a rooftop, knowing  
there is a gap between the edge of the roof and the edge of building makes me want to throw up. I push myself up and stumble to the opposite side of the car, where the other faction transfers stand in a line. "In these heels," I said it sounded vein, but it wasn't practical I wouldn't get a good run in before.

"I wouldn't get a good start in heels," I added they both gave a grave nod.

"We have to jump off too, then," a Candor girl says. She has a large nose and crooked teeth.

"Great," a Candor boy replies, "because that makes perfect sense, Molly. Leap off a train onto a roof."

"This is kind of what we signed up for, Peter," the girl points out.

"Well, I'm not doing it," says an Amity boy behind me. He has olive skin and wears a brown shirt he is the only transfer from Amity.

His cheeks shine with tears.

"You've got to," Christina says, "or you fail. Come on, it'll be all

right." She tried.

"No, it won't! I'd rather be factionless than dead!" The Amity boy shakes his head. He sounds panicky. He keeps shaking his head and staring at the rooftop, which is getting closer by the second.

I don't agree with him. I would rather be dead than empty, like the factionless.

"You can't force him; Amity will take him back. That is their way," I say, glancing at Christina. Her brown eyes are wide, and she presses her lips together so hard they change color. She offers me her hand.

"Here," she says. I raise an eyebrow at her hand, about to say that I might drag her down, but she adds, "I just can't do it unless someone drags me."

I take Beatrice's hand without thought "We can do it together, we are family now, right?" I say to them. "Yes," they echoed.

I take her hand and we stand at the edge of the car. As it passes one…two...three…

On three we launch off the train car. A weightless moment, and then my heeled feet slam into solid ground and pain prickles through my shins. The jarring landing sends me sprawling but I manage to stay on me feet. I release Christina's hand. She's laughing. Beatrice brushes gravel from her pale cheek, but she laughs too.

That was fun, she says.

Christina will fit in with Dauntless thrill seekers. I brush grains of rock from my shoes. All the initiates except the Amity boy made it onto the roof, with varying levels of success. The Candor girl with crooked teeth, Molly, holds her ankle, wincing, and Peter, the Candor boy with shiny hair, grins proudly he must have landed on his feet, but so did I.

Then I hear a wail. I turn my head, searching for the source of the sound. A Dauntless girl stands at the edge of the roof, staring at the ground below, screaming. Behind her a Dauntless boy holds her at the waist to keep her from falling off "Rita," he says. "Rita, calm down. Rita!"

I stand and look over the edge. There is a body on the pavement below us; a girl, her arms and legs bent at awkward angles, her hair spread in a fan around her head. My stomach sinks and I stare at the railroad tracks. Not everyone made it. And even the Dauntless born aren't safe.

Rita sinks to her knees, sobbing. I turn away. The longer I watch her, the more likely I am to cry, and I can't cry in front of these people. That will be weakness, they wouldn't value that.

I tell myself, as sternly as possible, that is how things work here. We do dangerous things and people die. People die, and we move on to the next dangerous thing. The sooner that lesson sinks in, the better chance I have at surviving initiation.

I'm no longer sure that I will survive initiation.

I tell myself I will count to three, and when I'm done, I will move on. One. I picture the girl's body on the pavement, and a shudder goes through me. Two. I hear Rita's sobs and the murmured reassurance of the boy behind her. Three.

My lips pursed, I walk away from Rita and the roofs edge with Christina and Beatrice both looking in the same state as me.

"Ooh. Scandalous! A Stiffs flashing some skin!"

I lift my head. Stiff is slang for Abnegation, Peter points at Beatrice, smirking. I hear laughter. My cheeks heat up; Beatrice let's her sleeve fall.

"Never knew a Candor to be such a bastard," I smile as he looks ready to toss me from the building.

"Listen up! My name is Max! I am one of the leaders of your new faction!" shouts a man at the other end of the roof. He is older than the others, with deep creases in his dark skin and gray hair at his temples, and he stands on the ledge like it's a sidewalk. Like someone didn't just fall to her death from it. "Several stories below us is the members entrance to our compound. If you can't muster the will to jump off, you don't belong here. Our initiates have the privilege of going first."

"You want us to jump off a ledge?" asks an Erudite girl. She is a few inches taller than I am, with mousy brown hair and big lips. Her mouth hangs open; I don't know why it shocks her.

"Yes", Max says. He looks amused.

"Is there water at the bottom or something?" Will asks, the fool.

"Who knows?" He raises his eyebrows.

The crowd in front of the initiates splits in half, making a wide path for us. I look around. No one looks eager to leap off the building their eyes are everywhere but on Max. Some of them nurse minor wounds or brush gravel from their clothes. I glance at Peter. He is picking at one of his cuticles. Trying to act casual.

"I will go first" Beatrice offers, she leaves my side as Christina and I follow her. she stands next to Max on the ledge "Very brave of you," was heard low, she waited two minutes as she was looking down, her clothes too big for her billowed up as she jumped.

"Next," Max called looking over the crowd as most moved back "I will go," I say trying to climb the tall ledge in this dress and heels. My attire was very illogical for this task, but I bent my knees and jumped without thinking just doing. I was half relieved and half hysterical. My body shakes and I cover my face with my hands. I just jumped off a roof.

I have to stand on solid ground again. I see a few hands  
stretching out to me at the edge of the net, so I grab the first stretching out to me at the edge of the net, so I grab the first one I can reach and pull myself across. I roll off, and I would have fallen face-first onto a wood floor if he had not caught me.

He is the young man attached to the hand I grabbed. He is dark skinned but has a handsome face "Names Zeke," he smiled the name was so familiar. His hands grip my arms, but he releases me a moment after I stand

upright again.

"Thank you," I say.

We stand on a platform ten feet above the ground. Around us is an open cavern. "Wyatt," I turned seeing Beatrice her face flushed as she stood with another guy he has a spare upper lip and a full lower lip. His eyes are so deep-set that his eyelashes touch the skin under his eyebrows, and they are dark blue, a dreaming, sleeping, waiting color.

"This is Four,"

"Hello Four, my name is Wyatt,"

When all the initiates stand on solid ground again, Lauren and Four lead us down a narrow tunnel. The walls are made of stone, and the ceiling slopes, so I feel like I am descending deep into and the ceiling slopes, so I feel like I am descending deep into the heart of the earth. The tunnel is lit at long intervals, so in the dark space between each dim lamp, this is nothing like the brightly lit Erudite.

The Erudite boy in front of me stops abruptly, and I smack into him, hitting my nose on his shoulder. I stumble back and rub my nose as I recover my senses. The whole crowd has stopped, and our three leaders stand in front of us, arms folded.

"This is where we divide," Lauren says. "The Dauntless-born initiates are with me. I assume you don't need a tour of the place."

She smiles and beckons toward the Dauntless-born initiates. They break away from the group and dissolve into the shadows. I watch the last heel pass out of the light and look at those of us who are left. Most of the initiates were from Dauntless, so only nine people remain. Of those, Tris is the only Abnegation transfer, and there are no Amity transfers. The rest are from Erudite and, surprisingly, Candor. It must require bravery to be honest all the time. I wouldn't know.

Four addresses us next. "Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I am your instructor," he says.

"My name is Four."

Christina asks, "Four? Like the number?"

"Yes", Four says. "Is there a problem?"

"No."

"Good. Were about to go into the Pit, which you will someday learn

to love it"

Christina snickers. "The Pit? Clever name."

Four walks up to Christina and leans his face close to hers. His eyes narrow, and for a second he just stares at her.

'What's your name?" he asks quietly.

"Christina," she squeaks.

"Well, Christina, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction," he hisses. "The first lesson you will learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"

She nods.

Four starts toward the shadow at the end of the tunnel. The crowd of initiates moves on in silence.

"What a jerk," she mumbles.

"No one likes being teased," I reply.

It would probably be wise to be careful around Four, I realize. He seemed placid to me on the platform, but something about that stillness makes me wary now. Four pushes a set of double doors open, and we walk into the place he called the Pit.

"Oh," whispers Christina. "I get it."

Pit is the best word for it. It is an underground cavern so huge I can't see the other end of it from where I stand, at the bottom. Uneven rock walls rise several stories above my head. Built into the stone walls are places for food, clothing, supplies, leisure activities. Narrow paths and steps carved from rock connect them. There are no barriers to keep people from falling over the side.

A slant of orange light stretches across one of the rock walls.

Forming the roof of the Pit are panes of glass and, above them, a building that lets in sunlight. It must have looked like just another city building when we passed it on the train.

Blue lanterns dangle at random intervals above the stone paths, similar to the ones that lit the Choosing room. They grow brighter as the sunlight dies. People are everywhere, all dressed in black, all shouting and talking, expressive, gesturing. I don't see any elderly people in the crowd. Are there any old Dauntless? Do they not last that long, or are they just sent away when they can't jump off moving trains anymore?

A group of children run down a narrow path with no railing, so fast my heart pounds, and I want to scream at them to slow down before they get hurt. A memory of the orderly Erudite halls, all numbered appears in my mind: a line of people on the right passing a line of people on the left, small smiles and inclined heads and silence. My stomach squeezes. But there is something wonderful about Dauntless chaos. Did Percy feel this way on his first day here?

"If you follow me" says Four, "I'll show you the chasm."

He waves us forward. Four appearance seems tame from the front, by Dauntless standards, but when he turns around, I see a tattoo peeking out from the collar of his T-shirt. He leads us to the right side of the Pit, which is conspicuously dark. I squint and see that the floor I stand on now ends at an iron barrier. As we approach the railing, I hear a roar of water, fast-moving water, crashing against rocks.

I look over the side my hand still in Tris'. The floor drops off at a sharp angle, and several stories below us is a river. Gushing water strikes the wall beneath me and sprays upward. To my left, the water is calmer, but to my right, it is white, battling with rock.

"The chasm reminds us that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouts. "A daredevil jump off this ledge will end your life. It has happened before and it will happen again. You've been warned." This was where they found Percy, blue and bloated floating in the Chasm.

"This is incredible," says Christina, as we all move away from the railing.

"It's stunning," I say, nodding.

"Incredible is a good word for it," Tris adds as we started to walk away from the Chasm.

Four leads the group of initiates across the Pit toward a gaping hole in the wall. The room beyond is well-lit enough that I can see where were going: a dining hall full of people and clattering silverware. When we walk in, the Dauntless inside stand. They applaud. They stamp their feet. They shout. The noise surrounds me and fills me. Christina smiles, Tris smiled, and a second later, so do I.

We look for empty seats. Christina and Tris discovered a mostly empty table at the side of the room, and I find myself sitting next to Four. In the center of the table is a platter of food I dont recognize: circular pieces of meat wedged between circular bread slices. I pinch one between my fingers, unsure what to make of it.

"It's hamburger," Four says, his eyes look into mine before talking to Tris about this food, it doesn't look very good. As he passed her a red paste, to which she put it on the hamburger.

"You've never had a hamburger before?" asks Christina, her eyes wide.

"No," we say at the same time.

"Stiffs eat plain food," Four says, nodding at Christina. "Erudite's are vegetarians."

"Why?" she asks.

Tris shrugged. "Extravagance is considered self-indulgent and

unnecessary."

She smirks. "No wonder you left."

"Yeah," Tris said, I was rolling my eyes. "It was just because of the food."

The corner of Fours mouth twitches.

The doors to the cafeteria open, and a hush falls over the room. I look over my shoulder. A young man I once knew walks in, and it is quiet enough that I can hear his footsteps. His face is pierced in so many places I lose count, and his hair is long, dark, and still greasy. But that isn't what makes him look menacing. It is the coldness of his eyes as they sweep across the room.

"Who's that?" hisses Christina.

I didn't want to answer, didn't want to be here, I rather be factionless, how could I have forgotten Eric was in Dauntless…

"His name is Eric," says Four. "He's a Dauntless leader." I cringed "Him a Dauntless leader, oh lord help us," I say they each look at me in turn.

"Seriously? But he's so young." Tris says.

Four gives her a grave look. "Age doesn't matter here. He was 17 when he got the post as Dauntless leader that was four years ago," he finished. I moved my head turned to the side, away from the table, as Tris gave me a worried look.

I can tell she's about to ask what I want to ask: Then what does matter? But Eric's eyes stop scanning the room, and he starts toward a table. He starts toward our table and drops into the seat next to Christina. He offers no greeting, so neither do we.

"Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" he asks, nodding to Christina, Tris and me, but I am hidden by Four now.

Four says, "This is Tris, Christina, and Wyatt,"

"No, it better not be," his cruel voice echoed.

I turn, I wasn't the innocent eleven-year-old anymore. I looked different, his eyes wide and so cold and cruel.

"Hello Eric, it has been some time." I have no choice but to talk to him, he looks so angry. He filled out, his body packed with muscle. He taps his fingers against the table. His knuckles are scabbed over, right where they would split if he punched something too hard.

"Four you remember Percy, this is his baby adopted sister," Eric was seething now "It was a pleasure, your brother was a great man." Four says.

"Damn you, you were supposed to stay in Erudite." He was such an ass still "Yeah, and you should have been hit by a train, bus, car, but it never happened. I am where I chose to be," I snapped turning my head from him talking to Tris and Christina.

"Don't you dare ignore me Wyatt," but it went in one ear and out the other…

REVIEW…..


	4. Fresh tears

_**Hello again nerdlings, here is a new chapter for my story. Please remember that Four and Wyatt are related! I own nothing except new characters and ideas, no money is being made from my writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. So with that said please enjoy and review!**_

"What do you need Eric?" Four said in his calm voice, shielding Wyatt from my wrath, her brother died here, she should have steered clear of this faction. But I will deal with her little ass soon. I turn my attention to Four.

"What have you been doing lately, Four?" I ask my tone was still on the edge of murder seeing her here.

Four lifts a shoulder. "Nothing, really," he says but I don't buy into it.

"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, and you don't show up. He requested that I find out what's going on with you." I say my voice tense, I glance at Wyatt who is talking with Tris, I tried not to notice how she grew into a woman over five years.

Four looks at me for a few seconds before saying, "Tell him that I am satisfied with the position I currently hold."

"So he wants to give you a job." I say when I already knew, but I warned Max Four wouldn't go along with this madness we have unleashed.

"So it would seem," Four says moving closer to Tris and Wyatt, it unnerved me.

"And you aren't interested." I retort keeping the conversation going. "I haven't been interested for two years.

"Well," I say "Let's hope he gets the point, then."

I clap Four on the back with enough force he understands this isn't over, I get up from my position next to the loud mouth, Wyatt was looking right at me her eyes swirling, or was it just me?

I walked away my body so tense, like a wire ready to snap.

"Max, I want to help train this year." I say he gives me a look "This isn't like you Eric," he was going to say no.

"This year's new members need to be better than the previous years; I want to ensure it happens. They need to be broken," he gave a nod "You may help Four train," this was my chance to help Percy in some way, she wasn't normal by any standards.

"Four you will have help this year with the training of the initiates, but Zeke alerted me you're needed in the computer room," Max told Four as I stood behind them "I will show the initiates to their new home," I offered seeing a cool calm rage run over Fours face before it vanished.

I watched Four walk away as I turned seeing them all eating, I would give them a few more minutes.

 **Four's point of view…**

I swear, I just want out of Dauntless before the shit hits the fan, but maybe things could change, maybe I could change.

"Hey Zeke, I'm not here for little training new initiates," I smile at my friend "You have a message man," he retorted, damn this woman she would be the only one to do something so stupid. I sat checking seeing it was Evelyn, my biological mother.

"Four,

I received news. As you know my son I was with child when I was banished from Abnegation those years ago. I had your sister her name was Madison, when she was barely a year Jeanine Matthews and Margo Tomlin came. They took Madison from me, she was raised in Erudite, word has come to me she is a faction transfer in Dauntless now, her name isn't Madison anymore. I am unsure of it. Find her, protect her. -mother" this wasn't what I was expecting, we had a few female Erudite transfers, I would have to do some blood work to find out who she was.

"Deep shit man, you need help let me know," it was Zeke "Yeah find out about the female Erudite transfers," I say getting up as he gave me a nod of his head.

 **Eric's point of view…**

"New initiates up, follow me now!" I called loud as they all stood Wyatt with the two other girls all smiling. I start to lead them down a series of hallways without telling them where we're going. At the end of each hallway is a blue lamp, but between them it's dark, I hear a few stumble, the clicking of heels on the stone floor. I stop in front of a wooden door while folding my arms. While they gather around me, Wyatt and her friends including Edward and Will a little back.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," I say. "I am one of five leaders of the Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training."

"Some ground rules, he says. You have to be in the training room by eight o'clock every day. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free time to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation." I alert them to some ground rules, Wyatt looks like she is soaking every word from my mouth up.

"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless," I shouldn't have to add this "Behind this door is the room where you will be sleeping for the next few weeks. You will notice that there are ten beds and only nine of you. We anticipated that a higher proportion of you would make it this far."

"But we started with twelve!" protests the loud mouth candor girl. She needs to learn to stay quiet.

"They knew not all of us would make it this far, it's logical with prior years of the same issue. They estimate on the number and plan, if surprised they remedy that by adding another bed or in this case subtract," she wasn't in Erudite any more, she would have to learn to have some discipline, when to also keep her mouth shut.

"There is always at least one transfer who doesn't make it to the compound. Wyatt is correct as well, even though you girls will have to learn to keep your traps shut," I knew my voice was cold, tense, even cruel.

"Anyway, in the first stage of initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you are evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you are already. So I expect," great now I seemed to be explaining like an Erudite, I cracked my neck getting myself together.

"Rankings?" asks the mousy-haired Candor girl to my right. "Why are we ranked?"

I smirk, fear flashes on some of their faces as I do, others looked rather uncomfortable. All except Wyatt, it didn't faze her in the slightest. "Your ranking serves two purposes," I say. "The first is that it determines the order in which you will select a job after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions available." Wyatt started looking nervous.

"What do we do if we're cut?" a candor boy asked, if I remember correctly his friends had called him Peter.

"You leave the Dauntless compound," I say indifferently, "and live factionless." I notice the Stiff and Wyatt; Wyatt became very pale her dark eyes wide in fear.

The mousy-haired girl clamps her hand over her mouth and stifles a sob. "But that's not fair!" the broad-shouldered Candor girl, Molly, says. Even though she sounds angry, she looks terrified. "If we had known…"

"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" I snap. "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward."

I pushed the door to the dormitory open.

"You chose us," he says. "Now we have to choose you."

"You have sets of clothes in your trunk, you will dress for bed before joining me by the Ember pit to burn your clothes, you leave that life behind tonight," I say turning my back to them. I hear whispering, trunks opening.

I wait a few minutes before I turn seeing Wyatt's bare back as she pulls a black long tee on, I advert my eyes from her to the Stiff who was dressed already. "Get your clothes and form a line,"

I stood in front of the Ember pit it was burning bright as they each stopped dropping their clothes in before heading to their bunk. Tris was nearly in tears, typical Stiff. Wyatt looked down at her clothes before dropping the shoes first, she was able to get on the train, off the train and do the jump in those things, a little pride hit me. "Drop the dress Wyatt, you leave Erudite behind." Her dark eyes shinned with tears, a new emotion hit me, one I wasn't sure of.

She let them drop. I left them after lights out, a fair few cried but I sat in my office seeing a message from my mother "Wyatt has left us, it is with great sadness too. She is brilliant, she goes to you in Dauntless now. Turn her to us again, I don't need her finding out how her Divergent brother was murdered as well. Another issue is she has a brother also in Dauntless, a biological brother, I suggest you figure whom it is and deal with it -Mother." This day couldn't get any better, my sarcasm was in full force tonight. I wrote her a message back and finished new Initiate paper work. I held Wyatt's chart, something hit me, Cara was the one to do her Aptitude test, it was also entered manually. Cara shut the room down after, for a full check due to a virus. Fuck.

I was about to walk into the tunnel on my right when I heard a small sob coming from the chasm. I watched Wyatt for a moment as she sat on the railings, her hair a mess, I walked over in silence.

I didn't know why but I wrapped my arms around her pulling her back towards my chest "If I ever see you doing something so foolish, you are never to sit on the railings. It is dangerous Wyatt," I yelled turning her to face me her pale face red, tears coating her face.

She stared hitting my chest with her small balled up fist "Why did he really die Eric? Why didn't you stop it?" she screamed her voice hoarse as she pounded my chest, it actually hurt. "You know deep down why he died and how. I didn't know until he was already dead, I would have done anything and everything to stop it, he was my best friend Wyatt." I grabbed her giving her a shake. Her eyes tore right into my soul.

"Come one you need rest," I lead her back to the doors of the dorm, leaving her there before returning to my apartment seeing Joslyn waiting for me "Hey babe you took forever," she smiled, I was a little too tense and worried to deal with her.

"I am just not in the mood tonight Jos." She frowned, we are dating, but I have no feelings towards her it was about convenience for myself. I gave her a kiss before leaving her wanting more, on the other side of my door.

I grabbed a vase my mother gave me and chucked it at the far wall, it shattered on impact. I felt a little better "Damn her," I growled laying down for the little bit of sleep I was going to get.


	5. An unwanted offer

**Hello fellow readers, here is another chapter to my story. I still only new characters and ideas, no money is being made, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Thank you for reading, please review!**

 **Wyatt's point of view…**

I woke early, I was always like this. I moved from the bed silently, I changed into the tight black pants, black tank top before anyone else woke up. The black jacket was optional so instead of slipping it on I carried it back to bed with me. I stared at my black socks for a few minutes before nudging Tris awake so she could change before any woke too, I doubt she wanted to change in front of these people either. "Dress, we can head out early," I whispered as she smiled heading out to the showers to change while I made her bed.

I tried to wake Chris up but her fist shot out as she snarled and growled some very rude words. Stiffing a laugh, I sat back on my bed and laced the black boots up they felt so different than heels, especially when I stood, she was dressed as I brushed through my hair leaving it down, she did too.

"Thanks, but we better get used to dressing in front of them it is bound to happen," Tris says "It is, I have no problem dressing in front of them, I just wake up early," I say as we walk out together heading towards the dining hall. Some Dauntless were already awake, the Pit was already crawling with Dauntless members as we walked through it together. We see Four as soon as we take our seats, I put some things on my tray as does Tris.

"Are you happy with your choice?" she asked me "I am, for the most part, I'm worried I will fail. Are you happy?" she looked serious "I feel the same as you Wyatt, I don't think I'm up to their standards," she admitted as her face fell.

"How do you know Eric?" she asked, I really liked her "He was my brother's best friend in Erudite. I was eleven when they both came too Dauntless, I was glad to be rid of Eric, but it killed me that Percy left. He wasn't my real brother but close enough, he showed me how to fight. He was my world, they say he killed himself, but I know he was killed for who he was, he was Divergent. I will kill the person who did it, to do that I had to come here." I say my voice low but her face went from sad to scared as I talked.

"Divergent," she said "Yeah, I mean there is nothing wrong with them, even though if we are Divergent we can't tell, we aren't safe," I whispered our head touching with how close we were "Are you?" her voice was shaky.

"I don't know who to trust," I say that was answer enough "Me either Wyatt, maybe we can trust each other." She says as we look at each other.

"Yes we can," I smiled "Hey, you girls are early, Tris and Wyatt right?" it was the Zeke guy from the jump "I am normally up very early, in Erudite they don't think sleeping is good for you," I joked but his face looked horrified.

"Serious? That is scary. I knew your brother, Percy. He was ranked third, and spoke of you often, like very often. He loved you, you were adopted right? Guess that never mattered to him." Zeke smiled, I tried but it hurt hearing about Percy, he should be alive and well waiting for me to come and kick his ass

"Yes I was adopted into Erudite, but that never mattered to anyone," I smile as he claps my back knocking me into the table. "Sorry," he looked worried he hurt me "It's fine," I smiled back.

We were left alone when Zeke sat with Four as they talked "I'm scared now," I turned back to Tris "I am too, after dinner meet me in the training room," I whisper seeing our friends walking in.

"I was looking for you two," Christina sits with a thud before digging into the food at the center of the table "I am sorry, I was going to wake you. But you just mumbled and growled a lot," she was mean when she was sleeping.

"Sorry, my mother hated waking me up." she laughed as we all talked, carefree laughter spilling from us.

"Hurry up we start in five," it was Four, his eyes bore into mine before they moved away.

"The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight." Four presses a gun into my palm without looking at me but his fingers curled around mine for a small moment then he keeps walking.

"Thankfully, if you are here, you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so I don't need to teach you that." I listened and watched the way he was moving reminded me of a giant jaguar, like the ones in our books at school.

I shouldn't be surprised that the Dauntless expect us to hit the ground running, but I anticipated more than five hours of rest before the running began. My body is still heavy from sleep. "Initiation is divided into three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time." That was good, I soaked up his every word.

Even though his eyes seemed to find me every few seconds before flickering away, in what looked to be embarrassment, I didn't feel attracted to him in any sort of romantic way. Part of me was drawn to him but I knew it wasn't some flirty way. Tris, on the other hand, was ogling him.

"You like Four," I winked as her face flushed a bright red.

I stare at the weapon in my hand. Cara was right, I knew all the time where I was going to go, when Percy left, I knew then. The gun, it feels dangerous to me, as if just by touching it I could hurt someone. Although that wasn't a bad thing now, I was Dauntless.

"We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as the failure to act in the midst of fear," says Four. "Therefore each stage of initiation is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage is primarily physical; the second, primarily emotional; the third, primarily mental." EMOTIONAL! I screamed in my head.

Peter yawns through his words. "What does firing a gun have to do with bravery?"

Four flips the gun in his hand, presses the barrel to Peters forehead, and clicks a bullet into place. Peter freezes with his lips parted, the yawn dead in his mouth.

"Wake. Up." Four snaps. "You are holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like it."

He lowers the gun. Once the immediate threat is gone, Peters green eyes harden. I'm surprised he can stop himself from responding, after speaking his mind all his life in Candor, but he seems like a wussie.

"And to answer your question; you are far less likely to soil your pants and cry for your mother if you're prepared to defend yourself." Four stops walking at the end of the row and turns on his heel. "This is also information you may need later in stage one. So, watch me." my eyes glued to him, as are Tris'.

He faces the wall with the targets on it; one square of plywood with three red circles on it for each of us. He stands with his feet apart, holds the gun in both hands, and fires. The bang is so loud it hurts my ears. I crane my neck to look at the target.

The bullet went through the middle circle.

I turn to my own target, I focus, set my feet shoulder-width apart, and delicately wrap both hands around the handle of the gun. Its heavy and hard to lift away from my body, but I want it to be as far from my face as possible. I look at my stance and adjust it, I look seeing the bullseye in my line of sight. I pull the trigger, I nearly stumbled back but with the firmness of my legs I didn't move, but the sound was hurting my ears, as gun fire went off all around me.

This was fairly easy once you got your stance right, aim was also a factor as I set my gun down moving behind Tris "You're too lose, make your body firm," I say my hands on her hips as I move her into a better stance "Yes that is better, move your feet apart just a little, there you go, now take careful aim, keep your feet planted like roots to a tree.

"Thank you," she smiled as she took aim, it hit the target "See much better," I went taking my gun firing, as Four watched each of us.

There is power in controlling something that can do so much damage, in controlling something, period.

Maybe I do belong here.

We break for lunch, to which I am grateful, I am starving and my arms are sore but this was the tip of the ice burg here in Dauntless. I ate, stopping to massage Tris' arms as Al did it to mine, Will rubbed Christina making her blush.

"Oh, come on. You don't remember me? Christina asks Al as she makes a sandwich. "We were in Math together just a few days ago. And I am not a quiet person."

"I slept through Math most of the time," Al replies. "It was first hour!"

"You were the loudest in History, Christina," I smiled "See, she understands me!" we laughed again. As we tease Edward Four comes up "Go change into your fight training clothes," his voice tense as we all start to move to his drum.

I was not thrilled, Tris and I braved the dorm having to change I stripped off my clothes refolding them before setting them into my personal trunk I was in my bra and panties when Peter walked in his eyes hungry "Hey there Wyatt, fancy a go with me, I will give you a nice ride," he winked, his voice husky.

"I have no clue what you're referring to Peter, but no," I reply "You want to have sex?" my hand made harsh contact with his smug face "How dare you ask me such a vile question you foul little prick. I am more woman than you could ever handle," he was beyond pissed when he hit me back, it was on, I learned many things from Percy. I tackled him to the ground locking my legs around his neck when Zeke walked in to the dorm.

He grabbed me pulling me off Peter who was beet red and choking "Hey now, save it for training," he laughed "Better hurry Four and Eric are waiting"

I pulled off my bra with Christina covering me she tied the halter top as I pulled on the low rise crop carpi pants, this was far too much skin. I helped Tris as I let Christina pull my hair into a high pony tail, Tris did as well we walk out together.

"How did you learn that?" Christina asked me her face full of glee "My brother Percy showed me when we used to play fight while mom was at her job," I answered her "I can show you both," this could be fun.

"Yes, please," she tugged on my arm as Tris laughed at us.

This is a new room. Its huge, with a wood floor that is cracked and creaky and has a large circle painted in the middle. On the left wall is a green board; a chalkboard. My Lower Levels teacher used one, but I haven't seen one since then. Maybe it has something to do with Dauntless priorities: training comes first, technology comes second, very odd since they go well together.

Our names are written on the board in alphabetical order. Hanging at three-foot intervals along one end of the room are faded black punching bags.

We line up behind them, Eric and Four stand in the middle, where we can all see them, Zeke walks over whispering before he too leaves us to training. Eric is making his way over coming closer.

"As I said this morning," says Four, "next you will learn how to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges which you will need if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless."

All I can think about is making it through initiation.

"We will go over techniques today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other," says Four. "So I recommend that you pay attention. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt." I gulped looking at the girls.

Four names a few different punches, demonstrating each one as he does, first against the air and then against the punching bag. I watch with calculating eyes, my brain feeding off it, learning something new. I moved a little dragging the girls to get a better view.

I watched and in turn learned how to hold myself and how to move my body to make it look like his. The kicks are more difficult, though he only teaches us the basics. The punching bag stings my hands and feet, turning my skin red, but it moves pretty well while I take another well aimed shot. All around me is the sound of skin hitting tough leather.

Four wanders through the crowd of initiates, watching us as we go through the movements again. I feel hands on my sides "You have a very good stance, I also heard you did very well with the guns this morning Wyatt. Now tell me what Peter said to you that had you use the leg lock Percy showed you," his breath was so warm and smelled of coffee and mocha.

"It doesn't matter I can take care of myself Eric, I don't need you to fight my battles," but my belly was doing cartwheels as his fingers dug into my flesh "Tell me now," this was a new side his voice was evil as I sighed.

"He saw me in my underwear, he then thought it wise to ask me for sex," his fingers hurt before he removed them "Percy would be proud of you," he whispered my face terrified from the pain on my sides. Eric left me.

Four stops in front of me, my sides hurt as I hit the bag sending it flying away from me. He stares at me, his eyes following my body from my head to my feet, not lingering anywhere practical, it was more of a scientific gaze. "Are you okay?" I felt something wipe my side, I was bleeding "Yes, thank you," I smiled at Four.

"Watch out for Eric, if he does anything come tell me, please," his voice low "Of course," but I wouldn't. Eric was just Eric, his greasy hair and all.

He moved on to Tris, his hands braced on her hips as he whispered to her, the tips of her ears red, his finger are long they move over her body as he moves her again. He looked as if he would break her, but she has no marks, like myself, when he walks away.

"Remember after supper, meet in here," I yawn as we walk out walking back to the dorm for another change.


	6. Eric is an ass

_**Hello fellow readers, here is another chapter of my divergent fanfiction. I don't own anything except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Remember to check my polyvore for outfits and character pictures! Noellamonster and please review!**_

By the time Four dismisses us it is six, that means we have to rush to dress before dinner. Christina messes with Tris about Four "I swear we thought he was going to break you," her eyes move to mine "It looks like Eric tried to break a rib," I sighed.

Christina wrinkles her nose. "He scares the hell out of me. It's that quiet voice he uses. I can't tell who to fear more," I laughed "Four is actually very nice, he uses his calm demeanor and the way he speaks as a scare tactic, but he also has the skill to do much damage if he so chose to. Eric, he has always been violent and mean, he has never hidden that side of himself. His father was a Dauntless born, he once said if Eric finds someone to love it will calm his temper." They all looked at me in surprise.

"Once Eric tried to flush me down the drain in Erudite," Will gave his input, Al, who was in front of us, turns around once we reach the Pit and announces, "I want to get a tattoo."

From behind us, Will asks, "A tattoo of what?" I thought of getting one as well. "I don't know." Al laughs. "I just want to feel like I've actually left the old faction. Stop crying about it." When we don't respond, he adds, "I know you've heard me." we all heard him, but let him get it out, every night, it was venting and he needed that.

"Yeah, learn too quiet down, will you?" Christina pokes Als thick arm. "I think you're right. We're half in, half out right now. If we want all the way in, we should look the part." Will smiles bumping my shoulder Tris gives me a look when she smiled, motioning toward my hair. "No. I will not cut my hair," I say, I loved my hair "I understand, it's just rather long," they laughed but I was pretty proud of it.

I smirked at Tris "How about piercing your bellybutton?" I say, her face is one of sheer panic.

"Or your nipples?" Will says with a snort.

Now that training is done for the day, we can do whatever we want until it's time to sleep. The idea makes me feel almost giddy, although that might be from fatigue.

The Pit is swarming with people. Christina announces that she, Tris, and I will meet Al and Will at the tattoo parlor and drags me toward the clothing/ makeup place. We stumble up the path, climbing higher above the Pit floor, scattering stones with our shoes. Until we reach the shop where she has us both sit "I will be right back," she winked.

"She is a bit off," I smiled "In a good way," Tris adds.

Goose bumps appear on my bear arms. She slips the tie from my hair we untwist it out of its braid so it hangs wavy over my shoulders down my back. She does the same for Tris, who looked more nervous than myself, I wasn't allowed to put makeup on.

Then she holds up a black pencil.

"Eyeliner," she says.

"You aren't going to be able to make me pretty, you know." Tris says her eyes closed. "Who cares about pretty? I'm going for noticeable." This upsets me.

"Tris you're very pretty, your eyes change color, your skin is like milk. Yeah your nose is a little big but it fits you, it makes you more striking, never belittle yourself," my hand placed on her shoulder so she could look me in the eyes, hopefully seeing that I am telling the truth. "Thank you Wyatt," her arms came around me.

"See?" Christina says. "You're striking." Tris was blushing.

I close my eyes and hold still when it is my turn. She runs the tip of the pencil along the line of my eyelashes. My mother would faint if she saw me doing these things, seeing my clothes and the makeup now covering my already dark hazel eyes. But I will find new habits, new thoughts, new rules. I will become something else.

"You are simply stunning, you really don't need this like us," Christina whispered "I am no such thing," I interjected "You could have any guy you wanted," Tris says as I scoffed.

"Let's go watch Al get tattooed," Tris says. Despite the fact that I have left my old faction behind, I don't want to criticize it yet.

Every Dauntless gets a certain amount of points to spend per month, Christina, Tris, and I race down the narrow path to the tattoo place. When we get there, Al is sitting in the chair already, and a small, narrow man with more ink then bare skin is drawing a spider on his arm.

Will and Christina flip through books of pictures, elbowing each other when they find a good one. When they sit next to each other, I notice how opposite they are, Christina dark and lean, Will pale and solid, but alike in their easy smiles.

I wander around the room with Tris, looking at the artwork on the walls. These days, the only artists are in Amity. Erudite sees art as impractical, and its appreciation as time that could be spent creating serums, studying, so though I have seen works of art in textbooks, I have never been in a decorated room before. It makes the air feel close and warm, and I could get lost here for hours without noticing. I skim the wall with my fingertips.

Tris stops her fingers tracing over a sketch of a bird in flight. "it's a raven," a voice behind me says. "Pretty, right?"

We turn to see a woman standing there, she is rather stern looking but pretty.

"Well, hello there." She smiles. "Never thought I would see you again. Beatrice, is it?" she says

"Tris, actually," she says. "Do you work here?" I stand with Tris as they converse.

"I do. I just took a break to administer the tests. Most of the time I'm here. She taps her chin. I recognize that name. You were the first jumper, weren't you?"

"Yes, I was."

"Well done."

"Thanks." she touched the sketch of the bird again. "Listen I need to talk to you about" she and I glance over at Will and Christina.

"I am not sure that would be wise, she says quietly her eyes on me. "I helped you as much as I could, and now you will have to go it alone.'

I purse my lips. She has answers; I know she does. "Okay, I see you looking at me. I am Divergent, as is Tris, we don't have a death wish, we need help. I will just come back and annoy you until you give in. I lost Percy because he was, did you know him?" I asked her, I watched her face change her body language changed as well.

"You have picked a rather bad moment to ask me these questions, another time," she says, this was good.

"Want a tattoo? she says, a nice change of subject.

"Yes," Tris says. "Three of these flying birds."

"I guess, I will as well. I would like this Lotus flower, but with intricate patterns varying in each petal, with angling chains and soft watercolor accents dripping down, pink, purple, and blue against the black and white of the tattoo. I would like it done on the middle of my shoulder blades, please," she was scribbling all this down with a faint smile.

Tris was first since mine would take a little longer "Why the Lotus flower, Wyatt?" Tris looked curious as Tori asked me. "You knew Percy, since you know my name. In Sri Lanka, Sanskrit scripts, a long-dead language it speaks of the lotus flower and consider it symbolic of virtue, discipline, and purity." I say, I knew I was still acting like an Erudite, I would have to curb that or face punishment.

Nearly thirty minutes later I take her place letting Tori drill colored ink into my skin, it hurts, but it was expected. Tris held my hand as I had for her. It only lasted a little over 80 minutes when Tori finished and we were able to leave with her promise to talk to us at a better time.

Christina had a tattoo too. We stood at the chasm with Will and Al, my back showing as we looked over the chasm "Hey, we will find answers. But we must be careful as well, Cara knew you would come here seeking them,"

"Yeah," was all I could say "So are we just lollygagging around the chasm, are you already so well trained?" I knew his voice, since I had loathed it growing up, we turned seeing Eric.

"I was under the impression after six we were able to enjoy ourselves around Dauntless, is that limited to certain areas?" I asked but his eyes hardened he was trying to keep me away from the chasm, he hated me, he probably rather I swan dive into it.

He moved closer "No, of course it isn't, Wyatt. I would watch that mouth, you're not a little girl anymore," he seethed at me, I wanted to flinch back away from him when another voice stopped that "Go to your dorm, you have five until lights out," it was Four who stood behind us, his arms crossed across his chest and his dark blue eyes on Eric.

We all turned heading to the dorm leaving them to fight.

I lay in bed, not able to sleep, I lay on my side seeing the blue light was swaying back and forth, I swear I saw Eric leaning against the closed doors but when it swung back he was gone. If he was even there in the first place.

I sit with Christina and Tris at breakfast, we laugh and eat. This has been pivotal for me, having friends my age, who don't only like me for my brains. We walk together to the training room, in our barely their clothes, but with a logical thought they give us freer movement.

"Since there are an odd number of you, one of you won't be fighting today," says Four, stepping away from the board in the training room. He gives Tris a look. The space next to her name is blank.

"This isn't good," says Christina, nudging me with her elbow. Her elbow prodded one of my sore muscles. Now that I think about it I have more sore muscles than not-sore muscles this morning.

I wince. "Ow."

"Sorry," she says. "But look. I'm up against the Tank." Tris and I both give her looks of confusion. The Tank? I find Christina's name on the board. Written next to it is Molly. "Yeah, Peters slightly more feminine-looking minion," she says, nodding toward the cluster of people on the other side of the room.

Molly is tall like Christina, but that's where the similarities end. She has broad shoulders, bronze skin, and a bulbous nose.

"Those three" Christina points at Peter, Drew, and Molly "in turn have been inseparable since they crawled out of the womb, practically. I hate them."

Will and Al stand across from each other in the arena. They put their hands up by their faces to protect themselves, as Four taught us, and shuffle in a circle around each other. Al is half a foot taller than Will, and twice as broad. As I stare at him, I realize that even his facial features are big, big nose, big lips, big eyes, Al is very good looking. This fight won't last long.

I glance at Peter and his friends. Drew is shorter than both Peter and Molly, but he's built like a boulder, and his shoulders are always hunched. His hair is orange-red, the color of an old carrot.

"What's wrong with them?" I hear Tris say.

"Peter is pure evil. When we were kids, he would pick fights with people from other factions and then, when an adult came to break it up, he'd cry and make up some story about how the other kid started it. And of course, they believed him, because we were Candor and we couldn't lie. Ha-ha." Christina wrinkles her nose and adds, "Drew is just his sidekick. I doubt he has an independent thought in his brain. And Molly she's the kind of person who fries ants with a magnifying glass just to watch them flail around."

In the arena, Al punches Will hard in the jaw. I wince. Across the room, Eric smirks at Al, and turns one of the rings in his eyebrow. I gaze at Eric, he grew into his ugly face, he is pretty hot as Christina would put it, the tattoo's and rings only enhance it now. Christina is braiding my long hair since I worry one of my opponents will grab on to it, the braid is like a crown now. I tried not to notice when Eric watches us, he stares every few minutes.

Will stumbles to the side, one hand pressed to his face, and blocks Als next punch with his free hand. Judging by his grimace, blocking the punch is as painful as a blow would have been. Al is slow, but powerful.

Peter, Drew, and Molly cast furtive looks in our direction and then pull their heads together, whispering.

"I think they know were talking about them," I say. "Is that good or bad," Tris looks over as well.

"So? They already know I hate them."

"They do? How?" Tris asks.

Christina fakes a smile at them and waves. Will hooks a foot around one of Al's legs and yanks back, knocking Al to the ground. Al scrambles to his feet.

"Candor's are honest with their feelings," I mention as Tris and Christina look at me "Wyatt is right, we try to be pretty honest about our feelings in Candor. Plenty of people have told me that they don't like me. And plenty of people haven't. Who cares?" Christina had this outgoing personally, I wish I could be like that.

"We just weren't supposed to hurt people," Tris says. "In Erudite I don't think most have feelings," I added as they both gawked at me.

"I like to think I'm helping them by hating them," she says. "I'm reminding them that they aren't God's gift to humankind."

I laugh a little at that and focus on the arena again. Will and Al face each other for a few more seconds, more hesitant than they were before. Will flicks his pale hair from his eyes, his stance off as was Al's. They glance at Four like they're waiting for him to call the fight off, but he stands with his arms folded, giving no response. A few feet away from him, Eric checks his watch.

After a few seconds of circling, Eric shouts, "Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for nap-time? Fight each other!"

But Al straightens, letting his hands down, and says, is it scored or something? When does the fight end?"

"It ends when one of you is unable to continue," says Eric he has changed but not in a good way, he was crueler than before.

"According to Dauntless rules," Four says, "one of you could also

concede."

Eric narrows his eyes at Four. "According to the old rules," he says. "In the new rules, no one concedes."

"Shouldn't a brave man that acknowledges the strength of others, be deemed higher," I say I was standing close to Four along with Tris and Christina who are whispering for me to keep my mouth shut. But Four had a smirk on his face.

"A brave man never surrenders."

Four and Eric stare at each other for a few seconds. I feel like I am looking at two different kinds of Dauntless the honorable kind, and the ruthless kind. But even I know that in this room, its Eric, the youngest leader of the Dauntless, who has the authority.

Beads of sweat dot Al's forehead; he wipes them with the back of his hand.

"This is ridiculous," Al says, shaking his head. "What's the point of beating him up? We're in the same faction!

"Oh, you think it's going to be that easy? Will asks, grinning. "Go On. Try to hit me, slowpoke."

Will puts his hands up again. I see determination in Wills eyes that wasn't there before. Does he really believe he can win? One hard shot to the head and Al will knock him out cold.

That is, if he can actually hit Will, he has always been fast. Al tries a punch, Will slipping around Al and kicking him hard in the back. Al lurches forward and turns.

Al charges at Will, grabbing his arm so he can't slip away, and punches him hard in the jaw. I watch the light leave Wills eyes. They roll back into his head, and all the tension falls from his body. He slips from Al's grasp, dead weight, and crumples to the floor. Cold rushes down my back and fills my chest, Cara would be horrified seeing this. Al's eyes widen, and he crouches next to Will, tapping his cheek with one hand. The room falls silent as we wait for Will to respond. For a few seconds, he doesn't, just lies on the ground with an arm bent beneath him. Then he blinks, clearly dazed.

"Get him up," Eric says. He stares with greedy eyes at Wills fallen body, like the sight is a meal and he hasn't eaten in weeks, Cara would hurt him. The curl of his lip is cruel.

Four turns to the chalkboard and circles Al's name. Victory.

"Next up is Edward against Wyatt," but the way he looks now, it's very different than before, as I am wished good luck by my friends as I leave them heading towards the ring "Be careful," I hear, its Eric his voice low.

I go over tactic's while Edward comes into the ring, he was agile, fast, and he had the muscle to back up any hit he gave. He had flaws in his stance, I had to use every advantage I could, he smiled at me. "You may begin," Four's calm voice gave me confidence that muscle wasn't the only important thing, skill was. I thought over every book I read about battles, martial arts, which I started reading after Percy left, I think of what he taught me.

Edward came at me, with a flawless hit, I only moved at the very last second, he stumbled forward as I grabbed him planting my knee into his back, he caught my exposed side with enough force I was forced to let him go. He groaned holding his back as I held my side, he moved and I countered his attack while I kept my eyes firmly on the way he moved. I wasn't so lucky this time, he was able to hit me knocking me to the ground, his body pressing mine into the hard floor, it hurt when his fist hit the side of my face. I had to get him off me, I wrapped my arms around his neck using my forearms to bring him down, I rammed my head into his nose causing a sickening cracking noise and then gushing blood. I felt dirty as his blood fell on me. He rolled off as I grabbed his hair smashing his face into the mat, taking this small advantage to win. I had to…

He wasn't moving "Al take him to the ward with Will," I heard Four "I didn't mean to," I say my eyes stinging with tears as Four held his hand out to me "It is okay, he would have done the very same to you. You did very well," his voice was still calm, I didn't read his body language, he was lying to me, I let him help me down. I stood with Tris and Christina "I didn't mean to," my eyes pleading with me, I hated to hurt anyone.

"Next up Molly and Christina!" shouts Eric. Al pulls Edwards arm across his shoulders and drags him out of the arena. "No worries Wyatt, I am good," Edward smiled, blood covering his lower jaw.

Christina cracks her knuckles. I would wish her luck, but I don't know what good that would do. Christina isn't weak, but she's much narrower than Molly. Hopefully her height will help her.

Across the room, Four supports Will from the waist and leads him out. Al stands for a moment by the door, watching them go heading out with Edward.

Four leaving makes me nervous. Leaving us with Eric is like hiring a babysitter who spends his time sharpening knives. When mother had work at night she always made sure Percy knew that Eric wasn't allowed in, she knew he was crazy.

Christina tucks her hair behind her ears. It is chin-length, black, and pinned back with silver clips. She cracks another knuckle. She looks nervous, and no wonder who wouldn't be nervous after watching Will and Edward collapse like a rag dollies? She wipes her sweaty palms on her pants.

I snap to attention when Christina kicks Molly in the side. Molly gasps and grits her teeth like she's about to growl through them. A lock of stringy black hair falls across her face, but she doesn't brush it away.

Tris stands next to me but I'm too focused on the new fight to look at her, or congratulate her on not having to fight today.

Molly smirks at Christina, and without warning, dives, hands outstretched, at Christina's midsection. She hits her hard, knocking her down, and pins her to the ground. Christina thrashes, but Molly is heavy and doesn't budge.

She punches, and Christina moves her head out of the way, but Molly just punches again, and again, until her fist hits Christina's jaw, her nose, her mouth. Without thinking, I grab Tris arm and squeeze it as tightly as I can she does the very same. I just need something to hold on to. Blood runs down the side of Christina's face and splatters on the ground next to her cheek. This is the first time I have ever prayed for someone to fall unconscious.

But she doesn't. Christina screams and drags one of her arms free. She punches Molly in the ear, knocking her off-balance, and wriggles free. She comes to her knees, holding her face with one hand. The blood streaming from her nose is thick and dark and covers her fingers in seconds. She screams again and crawls away, this is bravery. I can tell by the heaving of her shoulders that she's sobbing, but I can barely hear her over the throbbing in my ears.

Please go unconscious.

Molly kicks Christina's side, sending her sprawling on her back. Al comes back he pulls me close to his side, my head in his side. I clench my teeth to keep from crying out. I had no sympathy for some, but I am not cruel yet; the sight of Christina clutching her rib cage makes me want to stand between her and Molly. Al holds me as I hold Tris, my eyes move towards Eric who looks ready to walk over to us, I have never seen that look on his face before, it was more than angry, it was something so much more.

"Stop!" wails Christina as Molly pulls her foot back to kick again. She holds out a hand. "Stop!" She coughs. "I'm done." Molly smiles at this.

Eric walks toward the center of the arena, his movements slow, and stands over Christina with his arms folded. He says quietly, "I'm sorry, what did you say? You're done?"

"He isn't yelling, this isn't good. He isn't yelling, he is too calm," I say very worried "Can you stop him?" Tris asked "No, he hates me, he always has."

Christina pushes herself to her knees. When she takes her hand from the ground, it leaves a red handprint behind. She pinches her nose to stop the bleeding and nods.

"Get up," he says. If he had yelled, I might not have felt like everything inside my stomach was about to come out of it. If he had yelled, I would have known that the yelling was the worst he had, I would have known that the yelling was the worst he planned to do. But his voice is quiet and his words precise. He grabs Christina's arm, yanks her to her feet, and drags her out the door.

"Follow me," he says to the rest of us. I run after them.

I feel the roar of the river in my chest, when we stand near the railing. The Pit is almost empty; it is the middle of the afternoon, though it feels like it's been night for days.

If there were people around, I doubt any of them would help Christina. We are with Eric, for one thing, and for another, the Dauntless have different rules, rules that brutality does not violate.

Eric shoves Christina against the railing.

"Climb over it," he says.

"What?" She says it like she expects him to relent, but her wide yes and ashen face suggest otherwise. Eric will not back down.

"Climb over the railing," says Eric again, pronouncing each word slowly. "If you can hang over the chasm for five minutes, I will forget your cowardice. If you can't, I will not allow you to continue initiation."

The railing is narrow and made of metal. The spray from the river coats it, making it slippery and cold. Even if Christina is brave enough to hang from the railing for five minutes, she may not be able to hold on. Either she decides to be factionless, or she risks death.

When I close my eyes, I imagine her falling onto the jagged rocks like my brother, I shake.

"Fine," she says, her voice shaking.

She is tall enough to swing her leg over the railing. Her foot shakes. She puts her toe on the ledge as she lifts her other leg over. Facing us, she wipes her hands on her pants and holds on to the railing so hard her knuckles turn white. Then she takes one foot off the ledge. And the other. I see her face between the bars of the barrier, determined, her lips pressed together.

Next to me, Al sets his watch.

For the first minute and a half, Christina is fine. Her hands stay firm around the railing and her arms don't shake. I start to think she might make it and show Eric how foolish he was to doubt her.

But then the river hits the wall, and white water sprays against Christina's back. Her face strikes the barrier, and she cries out. Her hands slip so she's just holding on by her fingertips. She tries to get a better grip, but now her hands are wet.

If I help her, Eric would make my fate the same as hers. Will I let her fall to her death, or will I resign myself to being factionless? What's worse: to be idle while someone dies, or to be exiled and empty-handed?

As far as I know, Christina hasn't cried since we got here, but now her face crumples and she lets out a sob that is louder than the river. Another wave hits the wall and the spray coats her body. One of the droplets hits my cheek. Her hands slip again, and this time, one of them falls from the railing, so she's hanging by four fingertips.

I can't, no matter what happens to me, Christina was my family now she was my faction, faction before blood, we have to help and be there for each other. I run towards her, I saw Eric in enough time to dodge his arms as I slide to the floor grabbing Christina's wrist just in time, I pulled back now she was able to grasp the bars once more. He grabbed me by the nape of my neck hauling me back.

"Come on, Christina," says Al, his low voice surprisingly loud. She looks at him. He claps. "Come on, grab it again. You can do it. Grab it."

"I am going to kill you for this," I hear whispered in my ear, I wanted to tell him he was hurting me, but it wouldn't matter, he meant it to hurt. Christina swings her arm, fumbling for the railing. No one else cheers her on, but Al brings his big hands together and shouts, his eyes holding hers. I wish I could; I wish I could move, but I am held firmly.

"Come on," I hear Tris say. My voice is a whisper. I clear my throat. "One-minute left," I say, louder this time. Christina's other hand finds the railing again. Her arms shake so hard I wonder if the earth is quaking beneath me, jiggling my vision, and I just didn't notice. Eric's fingers dig into my neck making me whimper, I felt it, he lessened his grip.

"Come on, Christina," Al, Tris, and I say, and as our voices joined together. But she doesn't fall. She grabs the bars of the barrier. Her fingers slide down the metal until I can't see her head anymore; they are all I see.

"Five minutes are up," he says, almost spitting the words at Eric.

Eric checks his own watch. Taking his time, tilting his wrist, all while my stomach twists and I can't breathe. When I blink, I see Rita's sister on the pavement below the train tracks, limbs bent at strange angles; I see Rita screaming and sobbing; I see myself turning away.

"Fine," Eric says. "You can come up, Christina."

Al walks toward the railing.

"No," Eric says. "She has to do it on her own."

"No, she doesn't," Al growls. "She did what you said. She's not a

coward. She did what you said." Al moved to help her up when like a bolt of lightning Eric dropped me and grabbed Al, with a single hand he held Al against the stone wall, Al struggled, and tried to escape but Eric was stronger. Al, his face was turning blue, his eyes rolled into his head, while Tris and I pulled Christina over the railing to the walk way we stood on. Eric turned his eyes feral seeing this, he dropped a now unconscious Al to the ground.

"Four should be back, he might even be looking for us. Leave now," we moved but I felt it, his fingers digging into my arm "Oh not you, oh no not you,"

"You can walk or I will drag you, your choice," his voice deep but filled with anger, I walked as he lead me down a long craved stone tunnel at the end is a room, I hear him muttering under his breath.

He just shoved me into the room, I picked myself from the floor facing him, I wish I hadn't. There are two others in the room, one is Zeke the other I don't know. "What's going on Eric," Zeke asked moving closer.

"None of your business, both of you leave now," he was calm again "Come on Zeke, he is our leader" the girl looked horrified to be leaving me here with him, she dragged Zeke from the cold room.

"Damn you, god damn you. Why are you doing this to me!" he screamed now "Because I had to, Christina did the honorable thing, she is very brave. It is you who has lost sight of what Dauntless really is about, you have become a monster. They are my family now, faction before blood, right?!" I was scared but my voice was steady.

He looked at me, his head cocked to the side "You know nothing about me. You are just a problem, now you're my problem." He smacked me, I fell into the wall as he grabbed a long hard rod "turn now,"

"No," this was the wrong answer as he wacked my thigh, it was a sharp shooting pain before he walked to me and physically shoved me into the cold stone wall "Please don't make this harder,"

"Hurting me, hard on you? Who do you think you're kidding Eric? You have dreamed of this day, you're cruel, hateful, cold, and a monster. Do your worst, because it will not change who I am, nor how I act," I say but I am still shaking. I hear it before I feel it, I can't help but cry out, but before he reaches three the door opens. Four's body fills the door frame "Get away from her," he moves to me, his arm wrapped around my waist "Excuse me Four, she belongs to me. I am a Dauntless leader here not yourself, I dish out the punishments not you."

"She has had enough, if you have a problem go see Max. Wyatt is leaving with me," I looked at Eric then Four, reluctantly he let Four take me from the room.

"It's okay now Wyatt. Calm down, I want you to shower before putting this gel on," Four says as he leaves me with Tris and Christina.

I am naked, I was amazed Eric hadn't broken the skin, but it is red and purple, with dark bruising, my face was killing me as they shielded me from view "Thank you, I can never thank you enough. If you wouldn't have helped I would be dead," I hear.

"We are family now, we have to act like it," I say as I sit rubbing the gel all over the wounds, Tris dabs it on my face. "Go eat, I just want to rest," I add laying down, I just didn't want them to see me crying, it was such a weakness.

I lay here a few tears leaked out, I faced the wall when I felt a warm hand on my shoulder "Hey now, it's okay," it was Four.


	7. He makes her uncomfortable

_**Hello fellow readers, here's another chapter of my fanfiction. Please remember I only own new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Check my polyvore for outfits and character pictures Noellamonster and please leave a review!**_

I wake checking my watch, it is four forty in the morning, I wake up Tris with a smile after Peter's stunt yesterday with the red spray paint this was pay back, a little childish but fun still. She looked confused as she woke up, Christina looked grumpy. I held a bowl of very warm water as we crawled towards Peter who was snoring so loud it might wake up Amity. We hit some good luck his hand hung from his top bunk, I held the filled bowl until his fingers are resting in the warm water, I was surprised it took so little time a large wet spot was appearing as we hurried away from the beds, I hid the bowl as we pretended to sleep.

You could hear it, I gaged a little as I felt Tris crawling into my bed, next was Christina this bed was not made for this "I think we could dismantle our beds and make a large one," she whispered when a loud scream was heard. "WAKE THE HELL UP PETER. YOU'RE SICK," it was Molly.

"WHAT THE HELL," came from Peter as Al woke up "What is with all the yelling?" I jumped up turning on the lights rubbing my eyes "Is everyone okay?" I asked seeing a huge, I mean huge yellow stain on Peters sheets, it had to of soaked through the bed drizzling on Molly, you could smell urine in the air.

"Peter peed the bed, fucking great! Now I have to shower!" Molly shoved him taking her sheets to the laundry, before scrubbing her bed, we watched Peter looking around as most are going back to sleep. He just fumes, ripping his sheets off, leaving the room, I hurried dressing while everyone went back to sleep except for Tris who dressed for the day, but Christina was passed back out in my bed.

We are in our training clothes when he walks back in with a bowl of soapy water and a very nasty look "You shouldn't drink so much before bed, maybe you have a small bladder, it would go hand and in hand with your small, well you know what I am referring to, right Peter?" I smile walking from the room hearing a few male chuckles.

"Shut up," he growled at them but he just gave me the death glare as we left him there cleaning up his mess.

"Do you think they have food yet?" I checked again it was five thirty in the morning "Let's go check," she says with a yawn, we walked into the Pit, with the gel my thighs didn't hurt as much. The dining hall was empty but there are muffins so we sit, I take a blueberry muffin it's still warm.

We hear yelling "I said leave me alone," I knew that voice it was Eric "I am your damn girlfriend," was screamed back as I took another bite, but Tris looked a little scared. "Jos, you're a way for me to get sex and to ensure you're not fucking other guys, I don't need to catch something," Eric was such a charmer.

"Then find another girl," then we heard her scream, this time in pain as we jumped up hearing him coming, Tris was pretty damn fast as she bolted for the open door "What are you doing awake, Wyatt," was heard from behind me as, Tris leaned against the wall, hiding.

I turned seeing him in only black cotton pants, his hair was tied back, I wanted to rip my eyes out, I looked over his very toned body, tattoo's littered his chest, arms, neck, and his back, I gulped my spit felt like a thick paste.

"I woke up at four," I say, adverting my eyes as he moved closer "Really, but why?" he went on.

"I am always up early; I don't sleep well. You also seem to be up early," I couldn't back up, tris was right there, he could see her.

"You heard our fight," it wasn't a question "Yes, I am sure Amity did as well," he smirked "Yeah," he was right on me.

"I'm sorry, Wyatt. For how I acted, I'm still angry you're here, this is a dangerous place, more so than you understand. I shouldn't have hit you, is your thigh okay?" he had me pinned against the wall, his hand touched the outer part of my thigh, it was getting very hot in here.

"It's fine, thank you Eric. I understand how dangerous it is here, but I like it here." I was honest, he smirked "I figured you did, if you need help just come to me. You really grew you since I left, I never imagined you could be so," but he stopped, he walked away leaving me there, I felt Tris as she tugged on my arm.

"Training room now," she whispered as we ran for it. I was internally screaming louder than I ever have before.

We circled each other "Use your size, you will be able to dodge blows, while hitting them in sensitive areas. Remember throat, side, male parts. Later when Christina is here I will show you a few moves," she was sporting a large bruise on her collar bone.

She just gave a nod when the doors opened in walked Four and Eric seeing us training, Four gave a small nod but Eric was looking at us, his eyes cold and calculating but he said nothing. "I am going to go run and get another muffin," Tris says running out "Get me another!" I call after her as she lifts her hand at me.

I walk over to Four "You said you needed to talk to me," I say my voice low "Yes, but now isn't the time. Meet me here after dinner," he says back as Eric watches us.

"Okay," was all I could say.

My friends walk into the training room and we start to talk as I clear my throat. "One of you had to get knocked out, you know. If it hadn't been him, it would have been you." "Still, I don't want to do it again." Al shakes his head, too many times, too fast. He sniffs. "I really don't." Al is a big softie.

"You must stop thinking the way you do Al, if you don't stop you will fail the initiation. We will never see you again, is this what you want? Will is still your friend after you hit him and so would I. You need to make the choice to be the best," I touched his arm, he had this goofy smile. But I don't get the same feelings like when I saw Eric.

When I see my name, I stop, I don't fight today. "Oh no," says Christina, who shuffles in behind us. Her face is bruised, and she looks like she is trying not to limp. When she sees the board, she crumples the muffin wrapper she is holding into her fist. "Are they serious? They're really going to make you fight him?" Tris is fighting Peter; this wasn't going to end well.

Peter is almost a foot taller than she is, and yesterday, he beat Drew in less than five minutes. Today Drew's face is more black-and-blue than flesh-toned. "Maybe you can just take a few hits and pretend to go unconscious," suggests Al. "No one would blame you." "Yeah," I say. "Maybe." I stare at her name on the board. My cheeks feel hot.

We all watch Molly fight Edward. He's much faster than she is, so I'm sure Molly will not win today. As the fight goes on and my irritation fades, I start to get nervous. Four told us yesterday to exploit our opponent's weaknesses, and aside from his utter lack of likable qualities, Peter doesn't have any. He's tall enough to be strong but not so big that he's slow; he has an eye for other people's soft spots; he's vicious and won't show me any mercy. I would like to say that he underestimates me, but at this point I am unsure.

I can't be ranked last. By the time Molly peels herself off the ground, looking only half-conscious thanks to Edward, my fear for Tris is all I can think about. She walks to the center of the arena and my guts writhe as Peter comes toward her, taller than I remembered, arm muscles standing at attention. He smiles at her.

"You okay there, Stiff?" he says. "You look like you're about to cry. I might go easy on you if you cry." Over Peter's shoulder, I see Four standing by the door with his arms folded. His mouth is puckered, like he just swallowed something sour. Next to him is Eric, who taps his foot faster than my heartbeat.

"Hey Peter, try and hold your bladder this time. Poor Molly, just wasn't into it," I cooed centering his attention on me.

"Come on, Stiff," he says, his eyes glinting with malice but his stance is off now, if she could just see it. begging. She would have kicked him in the side, if he hadn't caught her foot and yanked it forward, knocking her off-balance. I wince as her back smacks into the floor, lucky she pulled her foot free, scrambling to her feet. She must stay on my feet so he can't kick me in the head.

That's the only thing I can think about. "Stop playing with her," snaps Eric. "I don't have all day." Peter's mischievous look disappears. His arm twitches he slams his fist into the right side of his jaw, she blinked and lurch to the side as the room as if the room is moving. He darts in front of her and kicks her hard in the stomach. She just fell.

But Peter is a weak version of Eric, he grabs Tris hair smacking her head on the hard floor, she tries in vein to fight back, Four leaves the room. I move forward when Christina holds me back "She has to learn to fight,"

Tris hits Peter but it does nothing, he whacks her about the head, she can't take anymore as I give Eric a pleading look, he stares back for a minute, before his nostrils flare "ENOUGH!" he called, I raced into the ring.

"Too bad she didn't beg," Peter scoffed "It will happen soon, you and I in the ring." I would keep training, as I have every day, every night just to make sure I beat him in every single stage.

"Al take the Stiff to the ward," Eric called out, he came to a stop next to Peter and I. "Eric I want him in the ring," I demanded. "He isn't going to listen to you. I would slaughter your pretty face," I smirked.

"You want him Wyatt, I will give him to you. But you owe me a favor," this was not good "Fine,".

I walked away standing with Will, Edward, and Al.

"Will, Christina up," Eric bellows. Owing that man, a favor was going to be the death of me, he gave me a smile, not a smirk. I turned from his smile letting Al put his arm around me, it was nice, contact with another person. Will hits Christina, her jaw swelling, but their match is over much sooner.

I stay in the training room for lunch, practicing, I had to beat him "You have nothing to prove," I didn't even turn to Eric. I punched as hard as I could; sending the bag flying from me.

"No, but I really dislike him. He keeps causing problems for my friends and myself. He is like a weak version of you," I say, nailing a well-aimed spinning back kick to the bag.

 **Eric's point of view…**

I looked over at her normal table seeing her space empty, I stand heading to the ward, but she isn't there. I have no clue why I am always watching her, at night I have watched her sleep, I think she caught a small glimpse of me a few nights ago. She was so beautiful, I loathed myself for thinking it, but she was, she was cute when she was younger but I just didn't care enough then. Maybe if I had things would be different.

I was getting angry, I checked the training room and there she was hitting the bag, I was impressed she was doing rather well here. I wanted her to come to me, but she seemed to like Four, he saved her ass, I would destroy him if he tried a move on her. "You have nothing to prove," I say getting her attention.

She was so focused, she didn't turn to me, it angered me a little "No, but I really dislike him. He keeps causing problems for my friends and myself. He is like a weak version of you," I was a little offended by that. She spun nailing the bag with a very nice kick, I smiled.

"You have all the skills to be ranked number one, but don't over think every move. I see that when you are in the ring you are going over things in your head, don't, it could be your downfall. Just go on your gut, you have the brains already, let your body lead you," I was gentle this time as I held her firmly, moving her body, "Relax, your body is too tense,"

"Seeing as a man has his hands on them, yes I am tense,"

"So I make you nervous, I saw the way you looked at me this morning." I smile as my breath hits her ear. "It was unexpected to see you without a top on," I let my hand rest on her exposed belly.

"You liked it, liked the way I looked, my tattoos," I came to the realization I liked her, she had grown on me, and now she was a woman, a rather sexy one at that. I knew she could hold her own, in a fight and with her mouth, but it seems Four and Al like her as well.

"I have to go," she tried to move away from me "Tell me the truth, Wyatt," my voice was more firm now, I grabbed her turning her body to face mine "Why can't you admit you liked what you saw?!" I yelled, her face paled.

I hear the door opening as I hurry away from her, to her credit she acts as if nothing happened when her friends joined her. I watch Al as he flirts and smiles at her, he could be dealt with. A thought tugged at me; Four could he be her brother, all the evidence points to that answer. He was protective like Percy as well. I smiled, this I could deal with.


	8. Paint ball to the dick

_**Hello fellow readers. Here is another chapter of my fanfiction. I still only own new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Go check my polyvore for character outfits and pictures Noellamonster and be sure to leave a review!**_

I watched as Four pulled Tris aside, he looked jealous another guy spoke to Tris, not that she talked to another faction, she looked confused as I watched "He is acting a little odd," Christina says from my left.

"Well yes, he seems to be jealous," I say still watching them "So…you know Will pretty well," she said, it wasn't a question "Yes, we have been best friends since I came to live in Erudite. You like him, he likes you too it's very obvious," I say her face darkened with her blush. Was that too blunt? Probably not for someone who was once a candor.

"Am I that transparent?" she laughed "No, I am just good at reading peoples body language. You should make the first move or it will take him forever, he doesn't have an ego like most men, he was always shy." I see Tris walking towards us.

"Really? Yeah I will," Christina sounded very determined "Four said the train is coming," Tris says as she reached us "I assume he said more, but if you'd rather not talk right now, that's fine," I say as we turn running to make the train back too Dauntless.

"Yeah, later tonight," she smiled once we are on the train back, we sat against the wall with Al, Edward, and Will we all just talked about what jobs we wanted when training was over, I wanted to be a Dauntless leader in training, so did Will. We eyed each other before he smiled.

Once back in Dauntless it was near dinner time. I grabbed the girls heading for the Pit "I need a dress for visiting day, I doubt my mother will come, but Cara will be there," I say as Tris chimed in "Me too, just in case my parents come," the hope was clear as day in her tone.

The shop was filled with black dresses and shoes; my fingers ran over the fabrics. Tris picked a very flowing one, Christina chose a skin tight one, so I went another direction. A long maxi skirt with a high slit in both sides, with a tight crisscrossed short top, with flat black sandals, not heels. We each spent a single credit in that shop. I stored my new things in my trunk before I locked it, we headed to dinner together.

"So you think your mother will come Christina?" I asked she gave me an odd look "Yes, of course she will," I am glad she was lucky enough to know already that her mother would come. I knew mine wasn't coming, but Cara would, she would come for Will and I.

I sat next to Al with Tris next to me while Will and Christina sat together across from us, I ate chicken with veggies. And then I saw cake, this was something we didn't get in Erudite, we had fizzy drinks which I wasn't fond of. I took a slice "Bad for you," Edward said taking a seat.

"So? I have trained for years, I can enjoy this cake, but rich coming from you. I believe you drank more frizzy drinks in Erudite than most," he laughed "They were addicting," he also took a slice.

It was mouthwatering it was sweet but not too sweet, it was moist as well, we watched Edward take another slice as we laughed "So? I train too," he retorted to our laughing. I wanted another as well, but instead I pushed my plate away "I am going to go, see you in a little," I was up leaving them I was meeting Four. I walked out of the door into a deserted tunnel the blue lights making it eerie at times.

"You left pretty fast," I heard. Why was he always after me?

"I left so I didn't eat another slice of that cake, have you tried it?" I asked turning towards him "Yes, I have. Why not have another slice, it wouldn't hurt you," he said leaning on the stone wall.

"It isn't good for me," I had to leave "Who cares, live a little," he turned when Max came down the hall, I moved down the right tunnel while he was distracted, I wait for Four in the training room.

Four walks in a minute later "He seems to be watching your every move," I shrugged "I noticed," but was unsure why.

"We have an issue; one I'm very thrilled with. I was alerted and took measures to find you, here read this," I took the sheet of paper, my brow furrowed. It was a DNA screening. I was a match to Four, this was only possible if we shared the same parentage.

"You're my brother," I said "I just found out you existed, or I would have done something sooner." He looked sad "I know you would," I smiled this changed so much, I wondered why he acted so much like Percy.

"I don't want this to come to attention just yet, Dauntless is in turmoil right now because of Jeanine Matthews. I want you safe, so if you need me either come to me or Zeke," he rushed me his long arms around me, I didn't hesitate to hug him back, I had family now, we could be together, he could help me find out who killed Percy.

He smiled "Okay, you need rest. Go to bed early tonight," he brushed a stray strand of hair from my face "Sure," he walked me out as dinner was ending, he went to the computer room as I headed to my dorm. I was so going to tell Tris, because I knew she liked him, I didn't want her to think we had something going on. I was the first to the dorm, I stopped on my bed was a thick slice of cake with a note.

"Wyatt-

I want an answer to my question. Here, to make it easy I will ask once more. Did you like what you saw?" I tossed the note into the Ember pit the cake was vanilla this time with chocolate icing. I caved, I ate it before any arrived. I finished feeling so full. I undressed and walked into the showers, the hot water hit my skin as I washed, hearing more coming in "There you are," Christina shouted I turned seeing her undressing as well.

"Finally," Tris came in next as we showered Al, Will and Edward had the rest of the boys waiting to shower, to give us some sort of privacy. "Yeah sorry, we three need to talk but not right now, too many ears," my voice serious.

I lay in bed sometime later, my eyes heavy but it seems the second I touch my head to the pillow, the door to the dormitory opens, and people stream into the room with flashlights. I sit up, almost hitting my head on the bed frame above me, and squint through the dark to see what's going on. "Everybody up!" someone roars. A flashlight shines behind his head, making the rings in his ears glint. Eric. I groan standing from my bed in just a top, it barely covered my chest, it just was so hot at night. I was ready to grab my blanket to cover myself when I noticed Eric, he was staring right at me, his eyes roaming over every inch of exposed skin.

Surrounding him are other Dauntless, some of whom I have seen in the Pit, some of whom I have never seen before. Four stands among them. His eyes shift to mine and stay there. I stare back and forget that all around me the transfers are getting out of bed. "Did you go deaf, Stiff?" demands Eric of Tris. She snapped out of a daze and slid out from beneath the blankets. I am glad she slept fully clothed, because Christina stands next to our bunk wearing only a T-shirt like me, her long legs bare. She folds her arms and stares at Eric. "You have five minutes to get dressed and meet us by the tracks," says Eric. "We're going on another field trip." I shove my feet into shoes and sprint, wincing, behind Christina on the way to the train. A drop of sweat rolls down the back of my neck as we run up the paths along the walls of the Pit, pushing past members on our way up. They don't seem surprised to see us. It was chilly out, I had no time to get my jacket, I would have to brave it in this tank top.

I wonder how many frantic, running people they see on a weekly basis. We make it to the tracks just behind the Dauntless-born initiates. Next to the tracks is a black pile. I make out a cluster of long gun barrels and trigger guards. "Are we going to shoot something?" Christina hisses in my ear. Next to the pile are boxes of what looks like ammunition. I inch closer to read one of the boxes. Written on it is "PAINTBALLS." I've never heard of them before, but the name is self-explanatory. I laugh. "Everyone grab a gun!" shouts Eric. We rush toward the pile. I am the closest to it, so I snatch the first gun I can find, which is heavy, but not too heavy for me to lift, and grab 2 boxes of paintballs. I shove them in my pocket and sling the gun across my back so the strap crosses my chest.

"Time estimate?" Eric asks Four. Four checks his watch. "Any minute now. How long is it going to take you to memorize the train schedule?" "Why should I, when I have you to remind me of it?" says Eric, shoving Four's shoulder. A circle of light appears on my left, far away. It grows larger as it comes closer, shining against the side of Four's face, creating a shadow in the faint hollow beneath his cheekbone. He is the first to get on the train, Eric and Zeke are next, I run. I grasp the handle when Eric grasped my wrist hauling me in, I collided with his hard chest.

"Answer me," he growled "Will you leave me alone if I do?"

"Sure," I didn't believe him "Yes," I pulled away heading towards Four.

Four turns around as Tris falls into stride next to the car and holds out a hand to her. I watch as she grabs his arm, and he pulls her in. Even the muscles in his forearm are taut, defined. Once everyone is in, Four speaks up. "We'll be dividing into two teams to play capture the flag. Each team will have an even mix of members, Dauntless-born initiates, and transfers. One team will get off first and find a place to hide their flag. Then the second team will get off and do the same." The car sways, and Four grabs the side of the doorway for balance.

"This is a Dauntless tradition, so I suggest you take it seriously." "What do we get if we win?" someone shouts. "Sounds like the kind of question someone not from Dauntless would ask," says Four, raising an eyebrow. "You get to win, of course." "Four and I will be your team captains," says Eric. He looks at Four. "Let's divide up transfers first, shall we?"

"You go first," Four says. Eric shrugs. "Edward." Four leans against the door frame and nods, thank god he didn't chose me. The moonlight makes his eyes bright. He scans the group of transfer initiates briefly, without calculation, and says, "I want the Stiff." A faint undercurrent of laughter fills the car. Heat rushes into my cheeks. I don't know whether to be angry at the people laughing at her or flattered by the fact that he chose her first. "Got something to prove?" asks Eric, with his trademark smirk. "Or are you just picking the weak ones so that if you lose, you'll have someone to blame it on?" Four shrugs. "Something like that." Angry.

I should definitely be angry. I scowl, tightening my hands into fists. Whatever Four's strategy is; it's based on the idea that she is weaker than the other initiates. And it gives me a bitter taste in my mouth. "Your turn," says Four. "Peter." "Wyatt."

It went on "Christina," Four says. That throws a wrench in his strategy. Christina is not one of the weak ones and neither am I. What exactly is he doing? "Molly." "Will," says Four, biting his thumbnail.

"Al." "Drew." "Last one left is Myra. So she's with me," says Eric. "Dauntless-born initiates next." I stop listening once they're finished with us. If Four isn't trying to prove something by choosing the weak, what is he doing? I look at each person he chooses. What do we have in common? Once they're halfway through the Dauntless-born initiates, I have an idea of what it is. With the exception of Will and a couple of the others, we all share the same body type: narrow shoulders, small frames. All the people on Eric's team are broad and strong. Just yesterday, Four told me Tris she was fast. We will all be faster than Eric's team, which will probably be good for capture the flag—I haven't played before, but I know it's a game of speed rather than brute force. I cover a smile with my hand. Eric is more ruthless than Four, but Four is cunning. They finish choosing teams, and Eric smirks at Four. "Your team can get off second," says Eric. "Don't do me any favors," Four replies. He smiles a little.

"You know I don't need them to win." "No, I know that you'll lose no matter when you get off," says Eric, biting down briefly on one of the rings in his lip, it makes me weak in the knees. "Take your scrawny team and get off first, then." We all stand up. Al gives me a forlorn look, and I smile back in what I hope is a reassuring way.

If any of the four of us had to end up on the same team as Eric, Peter, and Molly, at least it was him. They usually leave him alone. The train is about to dip to the ground. Before they can try it again, I jump. This time I am ready for the momentum the train gives me, and I run a few steps to diffuse it but keep my balance. Fierce pleasure courses through me and I smile. It's a small accomplishment, but it makes me feel Dauntless. One of the Dauntless-born initiates touches Four's shoulder and asks, "When your team won, where did you put the flag?" "Telling you wouldn't really be in the spirit of the exercise, Marlene," he says coolly. "Come on, Four," she whines. She gives him a flirtatious smile. He brushes her hand off his arm, and for some reason, I find myself looking at Tris who looks smug, I was grinning. "Navy Pier," another Dauntless-born initiate calls out. He is tall, with brown skin and dark eyes. Handsome. "My brother was on the winning team. They kept the flag at the carousel." "Let's go there, then," suggests Will.

"We're close to Erudite headquarters, right?" asks Christina, bumping Will's shoulder with her own. "Yeah. It's south of here," I say because he is blushing. He looks over his shoulder, and for a second his expression is full of longing. Then it's gone. I am less than a mile away from my mother. It has been a week since we were that close together.

I shake my head a little to get the thought out of my mind. I can't think about her today, when I have to focus on making it through stage one. I can't think about her any day. We walk across the bridge. We still need the bridges because the mud beneath them is too wet to walk on. I wonder how long it's been since the river dried up. Once we cross the bridge, the city changes. Behind us, most of the buildings were in use, and even if they weren't, they looked well-tended. In front of us is a sea of crumbling concrete and broken glass. The silence of this part of the city is eerie; it feels like a nightmare. It's hard to see where I'm going, because it's after midnight and all the city lights are off. Marlene takes out a flashlight and shines it at the street in front of us. "Scared of the dark, Mar?" the dark-eyed Dauntless-born initiate teases. "If you want to step on broken g lass, Uriah, be my guest," she snaps. But she turns it off anyway. I have realized that part of being Dauntless is being willing to make things more difficult for yourself in order to be self-sufficient. There's nothing especially brave about wandering dark streets with no flashlight, but we are not supposed to need help, even from light. We are supposed to be capable of anything. I like that. Because there might come a day when there is no flashlight, there is no gun, there is no guiding hand. And I want to be ready for it.

The buildings end just before the marsh. A strip of land juts out into the marsh, and rising from it is a giant white wheel with dozens of red passenger cars dangling from it at regular intervals. The Ferris wheel. "Think about it. People use to ride that thing. For fun," says Will, shaking his head. "They must have been Dauntless," I say.

"Yeah, but a lame version of Dauntless." Christina laughs. "A Dauntless Ferris wheel wouldn't have cars. You would just hang on tight with your hands, and good luck to you." We walk down the side of the pier. All the buildings on my left are empty, their signs torn down and their windows closed, but it is a clean kind of emptiness. Whoever left these places left them by choice and at their leisure. Some places in the city are not like that. "Dare you to jump into the marsh," says Christina to Will. "You first." We reach the carousel.

Some of the horses are scratched and weathered, their tails broken off or their saddles chipped. Four takes the flag out of his pocket. "In ten minutes, the other team will pick their location," he says. "I suggest you take this time to formulate a strategy. We may not be Erudite, but mental preparedness is one aspect of your Dauntless training. Arguably, it is the most important aspect." He is right about that. What good is a prepared body if you have a scattered mind? Will takes the flag from Four. "Some people should stay here and guard, and some people should go out and scout the other team's location," Will says. "Yeah? You think?" Marlene plucks the flag from Will's fingers. "Who put you in charge, transfer?" "No one," says Will. "But someone's got to do it."

"Maybe we should develop a more defensive strategy. Wait for them to come to us, then take them out," suggests Christina. "That's the sissy way out," Uriah says. "I vote we go all out. Hide the flag well enough that they can't find it." Everyone bursts into the conversation at once, their voices louder with each passing second.

Christina defends Will's plan; the Dauntless-born initiates vote for offense; everyone argues about who should make the decision. Four sits down on the edge of the carousel, leaning against a plastic horse's foot. His eyes lift to the sky, where there are no stars, only a round moon peeking through a thin layer of clouds. The muscles in his arms are relaxed; his hand rests on the back of his neck. He looks almost comfortable, holding that gun to his shoulder. I close my eyes briefly.

We can't act until we know where the other team is. They could be anywhere within a two-mile radius, although I can rule out the empty marsh as an option. The best way to find them is not to argue about how to search for them, or how many to send out in a search party. It's to climb as high as possible. I look over my shoulder to make sure I get Tris's attention, we walk toward the Ferris wheel with light, quiet footsteps, pressing my gun to my back with one hand to keep it from making noise. When I stare up at the Ferris wheel from the ground, my throat feels tighter. It is taller than I thought, so tall I can barely see the cars swinging at the top. The only good thing about its height is that it is built to support weight. If I climb it, it won't collapse beneath me. My heart pumps faster. "Come on Tris," I call down.

It's so dark I can barely see them, but when I stare at the huge, rusted supports holding the wheel in place, I see the rungs of a ladder. Each support is only as wide as my shoulders, and there are no railings to hold me in, but climbing the ladder is better than climbing the spokes of the wheel. I grab a rung. It's rusty and thin and feels like it might crumble in my hands. I put my weight on the lowest rung to test it and jump to make sure it will hold me up along with Tris who is right behind now.

"Tris," a low voice says behind me. I don't know why it doesn't startle me. Maybe because I am becoming Dauntless, and mental readiness is something I am supposed to develop. Maybe because his voice is low and smooth and almost soothing. Whatever the reason, I look over my shoulder. Four stands behind Tris with his gun slung across his back, just like mine. "Yes?" I hear her say as I keep going. "I came to find out what you two think you're doing." "I'm seeking higher ground," I say. "I don't think. I'm doing." I say again. I see his smile in the dark. "All right. I'm coming." I pause a second but Tris waits for Four. But if he insists on coming with us, it is probably because he doesn't doubt us. "I'll be fine," I say. "Undoubtedly," he replies. I don't hear the sarcasm, but I know it's there. It has to be. I climb, and when I'm a few feet off the ground, he comes after us.

"So tell me…," he says quietly as we climb. He sounds breathless. "What do you think the purpose of this exercise is? The game, I mean, not the climbing." I stare down at the pavement. It seems far away now, but I'm not even a third of the way up. Above us is a platform, just below the center of the wheel. That's my destination. I don't even think about how I will climb back down. The breeze that brushed my cheeks earlier now presses against my side. The higher we go, the stronger it will get. I need to be ready.

"Learning about strategy," I say. "Teamwork, maybe." Tris adds "Team work," he repeats. A laugh hitches in his throat. It sounds like a panicked breath.

"Maybe not," she says. "Teamwork doesn't seem to be a Dauntless priority." I laugh. The wind is stronger now. I press closer to the white support so I don't fall, but that makes it hard to climb. Below me the carousel looks small. I can barely see my team under the awning. Some of them are missing—a search party must have left.

Four says, "It's supposed to be a priority. It used to be." But I'm not really listening, because the height is dizzying. My hands ache from holding the rungs, and my legs are shaking, but I'm not sure why. It isn't the height that scares me—the height makes me feel alive with energy, every organ and vessel and muscle in my body singing at the same pitch. My hand almost misses the next rung. "Now tell me…," he says through a bursting breath, "what do you think learning strategy has to do with…bravery?" The question reminds me that he is my instructor not just my brother, and I am supposed to learn something from this. A cloud passes over the moon, and the light shifts across my hands. "It…it prepares you to act," I say finally. "You learn strategy so you can use it." I hear him breathing behind me, loud and fast. "Are you all right, Four?" I hear Tris as I go higher "Are you human, Tris and Wyatt? Being up this high…" He gulps for air.

"It doesn't scare you at all?" I look over my shoulder at the ground. If I fall now, I will die. But I don't think I will fall. A gust of air presses against my left side, throwing my body weight to the right. I gasp and cling to the rungs, my balance shifting but I hold tight, fighting against the wind with all my strength. My balance is restored. Tris wasn't so lucky, she nearly falls to the side but Four's hand clamps around her waist, her breathing is heavy now. He squeezes Tris, steadying her and pushing her gently to the left, restoring her balance.

"You okay?" he asks quietly. "Yes," she says, her voice strained. I keep climbing, silently, until I reach the platform. Judging by the blunted ends of metal rods, it used to have railings, but it doesn't anymore. I sit down and scoot to the end of it so Four and Tris has somewhere to sit. Without thinking, I put my legs over the side. Four, however, crouches and presses his back to the metal support, breathing heavily as Tris watches him.

"You're afraid of heights," I say. "How do you survive in the Dauntless compound?" Tris asks. "I ignore my fear," he says. "When I make decisions, I pretend it doesn't exist." I stare at him for a second. Thinking, taking in the words he speaks, trying to find my own features in his. We are related. He is my brother. He isn't Percy but he was family, I had someone I could trust and depend on.

To me there's a difference between not being afraid and acting in spite of fear, as he does. "What?" he says quietly. "Nothing." I look away from him and toward the city. I see some similarities between us now. I climbed up here for a reason. The city is pitch-black, but even if it wasn't, I wouldn't be able to see very far. A building stands in my way. "We're not high enough, Tris come look," I say. I look up. Above me is a tangle of white bars, the wheel's scaffolding. If I climb carefully, I can wedge my feet between the supports and the crossbars and stay secure. Or as secure as possible. "I'm going to climb," I say, standing up. I grab one of the bars above my head and pull myself up. Shooting pains go through my bruised sides, but I ignore them. "For God's sake, Wyatt," he says. "You don't have to follow me, stay with Tris" I say, staring at the maze of bars above me. I shove my foot onto the place where two bars cross and push myself up, grabbing another bar in the process. I sway for a second, my heart beating so hard I can't feel anything else.

I pull myself up, my arms shaking, and force my leg under me so I'm standing on another bar. When I feel steady, I look down at Tris and Four. But instead of seeing him, I see straight to the ground, yeah that's a death drop.

Then I see a tiny pulsing light on the ground. "See that?" I say, pointing. Four stops climbing so does Tris as she looks where my finger is pointing. "Yeah," he says.

A smile spreads over his face as one is plastered on Tris's. "It's coming from the park at the end of the pier," he says.

"Figures. It's surrounded by open space, but the trees provide some camouflage. Obviously not enough." I say to them as I start moving back down, a bit slower now.

"Okay," Tris says. I look over my shoulder at him. We are so close now that I notice that the corners of his mouth turn down naturally, just like mine, and that he has a scar on his chin. "Um," I say. I clear my throat. "Start climbing down. I'll follow you." Four nods and steps down with Tris and I following him. His legs are so long that he finds a place for his foot easily and guides his body between the bars. Even in darkness, I see that his hands are bright red and shaking. I step down with one foot, pressing my weight into one of the crossbars. The bar creaks beneath me and comes loose, clattering against half a dozen bars on the way down and bouncing on the pavement. I'm dangling from the scaffolding with my toes swinging in midair.

A strangled gasp escapes me. "Four!" I try to find another place to put my foot, but the nearest foothold is a few feet away, farther than I can stretch. My hands are sweaty. I will slip. I will slip. I will die. "Hold on!" he shouts. "Just hold on, I have an idea." He keeps climbing down with Tris. They're moving in the wrong direction; they should be coming toward me, not going away from me. I stare at my hands, which are wrapped around the narrow bar so tightly my knuckles are white. My fingers are dark red, almost purple. They won't last long. I won't last long.

I squeeze my eyes shut. Better not to look. Better to pretend that none of this exists. I hear Four's sneakers squeak against metal and rapid footsteps on ladder rungs. "Four! Tris!" I yell. Maybe he left. Maybe he abandoned me. Maybe this is a test of my strength, of my bravery. I breathe in my nose and out my mouth. I count my breaths to calm down. One, two. In, out. Come on, Four. is all I can think. Come on, do something. God, please don't leave me.

Then I hear something wheeze and creak. The bar I'm holding shudders, and I scream through my clenched teeth as I fight to keep my grip. The wheel is moving. Air wraps around my ankles and wrists as the wind gushes up, like a geyser. I open my eyes. I'm moving—toward the ground. I laugh, giddy with hysteria as the ground comes closer and closer. But I'm picking up speed. If I don't drop at the right time, the moving cars and metal scaffolding will drag at my body and carry me with them, and then I will really die. Every muscle in my body tenses as I hurtle toward the ground. When I can see the cracks in the sidewalk, I drop, and my body slams into the ground, feet first. My legs collapse beneath me and I pull my arms in, rolling as fast as I can to the side. The cement scrapes my arms, and I turn just in time to see a car bearing down on me, like a giant shoe about to crush me.

I roll again, and the bottom of the car skims my shoulder. I'm safe. I press my palms to my face. I hear footsteps, and Four's hands wrap around my wrists. I let him pry my hands from my eyes. He encloses one of my hands perfectly between two of his. The warmth of his skin overwhelms the ache in my fingers from holding the bars. "You all right?" he asks, pressing our hands together. "Yeah." He starts to laugh. After a second, I laugh too. Tris is pale white. He stands, pulling me up with him. The wheel is still moving, creating a wind that tosses my hair back. "You could have told me that the Ferris wheel still worked," I say. I try to sound casual. "We wouldn't have had to climb in the first place." "I would have, if I had known," he says. "Couldn't just let you hang there, so I took a risk. Come on, time to get their flag." Four hesitates for a moment and then takes my arm, his fingertips pressing to the inside of my elbow.

We half run, half limp beside him. I still feel weak, but my mind is awake, especially with the two people I knew would never leave me running beside me. Christina is perched on one of the horses, her long legs crossed and her hand around the pole holding the plastic animal upright. Our flag is behind her, a glowing triangle in the dark.

Three Dauntless-born initiates stand among the other worn and dirty animals. One of them has his hand on a horse's head, and a scratched horse eye stares at me between his fingers. Sitting on the edge of the carousel is an older Dauntless, scratching her quadruple-pierced eyebrow with her thumb. "Where'd the others go?" asks Four.

He looks as excited as I feel, his eyes wide with energy. "Did you guys turn on the wheel?" the older girl says. "What the hell are you thinking? You might as well have just shouted "'Here we are! Come and get us!'" She shakes her head. "If I lose again this year, the shame will be unbearable. Three years in a row?"

"The wheel doesn't matter," says Four. "We know where they are."

"We?" says Christina, looking from Four to Tris to me. "Yes, while the rest of you were twiddling your thumbs, Tris and Wyatt climbed the Ferris wheel to look for the other team," he says. "What do we do now, then?" asks one of the Dauntless-born initiates through a yawn. Four looks at me. Slowly the eyes of the other initiates, including Christina, migrate from him to me.

I have an idea. "Split in half," I say. "Four of us go to the right side of the pier, three to the left. The other team is in the park at the end of the pier, so the group of four will charge as the group of three sneaks behind the other team to get the flag." Christina looks at me with a smirk "Sounds good," says the older girl, clapping her hands together. "Let's get this night over with, shall we?" Christina joins Tris and I in the group going to the right, along with Uriah, whose smile looks white against his skin's bronze.

I didn't notice before, but he has a tattoo of a snake behind his ear. I stare at its tail curling around his earlobe for a moment, but then Christina starts running and I have to follow her. I have to run twice as fast to match my short strides to her long ones, I just drag Tris, even though her legs are long, I run, I realize that only one of us will get to touch the flag, and it won't matter that it was my plan and my information that got us to it if I'm not the one who grabs it. Though I can hardly breathe as it is, I run faster, and I'm on Christina's heels. I pull my gun around my body, holding my finger over the trigger.

We reach the end of the pier, and I clamp my mouth shut to keep my loud breaths in. We slow down so our footsteps aren't as loud, and I look for the blinking light again. Now that I'm on the ground, it's bigger and easier to see. I point, and Tris nods, leading the way toward it. Then I hear a chorus of yells, so loud they make me jump. I hear puffs of air as paintballs go flying and splats as they find their targets.

Our team has charged, the other team runs to meet us, and the flag is almost unguarded. Uriah takes aim and shoots the last guard in the thigh. The guard, a short girl with purple hair, throws her gun to the ground in a tantrum. I sprint to catch up to Tris. The flag hangs from a tree branch, high above my head. I reach for it, and so does Tris. "Come on, Tris," she says.

"Got you," it was Eric. I grabbed Tris pulling her behind the tree "Shit, climb up, I will get Eric, or go down trying," I whisper, Eric has Peter and Drew as his guards. I fire, as Drew runs out of balls, he is useless as I fire again, he screams.

I moved having to be out in the open, I fire nailing Peter who screams, I nailed him in the balls. I hold in a fit of laughter. Eric fires at me, I moved rolling to the side. I was out as I moved coming from behind him, my arms wrapped around his thick neck. Tris was watching as she moved further up the tall tree, he tried to toss me off.

I just held on for dear life, I tighten my hold hearing him choke he fell to his knees taking me with him

Tris turns and gives a whoop of victory. Uriah's voice joins hers and then I hear a chorus of yells in the distance. I let Eric go as he moves his body covering mine his face inches from mine, his dark eyes so very cold.

Tris holds the flag up high, and everyone clusters around her, grabbing her arm to lift the flag even higher. I can't reach her, so I stand off to the side, grinning. A hand touches my shoulder. "Well done," Four says quietly.

"Thank you, this will be good for her,".

"So you climbed the Ferris wheel, huh, had to hang until it landed on the ground" says Uriah. He stumbles across the car and sits next to me. Marlene, the girl with the flirty smile, follows him. "Yes," I say. "Pretty smart of you. Like…Erudite smart," Marlene says. "I'm Marlene." "Wyatt, this is Tris and Christina," I say.

"Yeah, I know who you are," she says.

Uriah takes one of the paintballs from his gun and squeezes it between his thumb and index finger. The train lurches to the left, and Uriah falls against me, his fingers pinching the paintball until a stream of pink, foul-smelling paint sprays on my face. Marlene collapses in giggles. I wipe some of the paint from my face, slowly, and then smear it on his nose. The scent of fish oil wafts through the train car. "Ew!" He squeezes the ball at me again, but the opening is at the wrong angle, and the paint sprays into his mouth instead. He coughs and makes exaggerated gagging sounds. I wipe my face with my shirt, laughing so hard my stomach hurts. If my entire life is like this, loud laughter and boll d action and the kind of exhaustion you feel after a hard but satisfying day, I will be content. As Uriah scrapes his tongue with his fingertips, I realize that all I have to do is get through initiation, and that life will be mine.

"God damn it," I heard yelled as a girl talks to Eric "She did what?!" I moved behind Tris.


	9. YOU GREASY PRICK

_**HLLHHello readers here is another chapter of my fanfiction. I still own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Remember to check my polyvore for outfits and character pictures Noellamonster and please leave a review!**_

The next morning, when we trudge into the training room, I was continuously yawning. A large target stands at one end of the room, and next to the door is a table with knives strewn across it. Target practice again. At least it won't hurt. Eric stands in the middle of the room, his posture so rigid it looks like someone replaced his spine with a metal rod.

The sight of him makes me feel like all the air in the room is heavier, bearing down on me. At least when he was slouched against a wall, I could pretend he wasn't here. Today I can't pretend. "Tomorrow will be the last day of stage one," Eric says. "You will resume fighting then. Today, you'll be learning how to aim. But we are dividing into two groups, we will pull names out of this glass, so you and ourselves don't have a choice on who is with us," Eric says.

Four and Eric start pulling white slips of paper until the glass was empty. Each had a small hand full "I have Peter, Edward, Myra, Molly, and Wyatt." Eric smiled as I groaned clinging to Tris "Help me," I pleaded as Christina and Tris took my hands. Not like this was going to help me.

"Move it all of you, we don't have all day," Eric barked as we moved towards the far left "See you girls at lunch," I whined moving towards Eric's group sticking close to Edward.

"Everyone pick up three knives." His voice is deeper than usual. "And pay attention while Four demonstrates the correct technique for throwing them." At first no one moves. "Now!" We scramble for daggers. They aren't as heavy as guns, but they still feel strange in my hands, like I am not allowed to hold them. In Erudite violence was seen as a lack of intelligence, something not needed.

"He's in a bad mood today," mumbles Edward. "Is he ever in a good mood? Remember him in Erudite?" I murmur back. But I know what he means. Judging by the poisonous look Eric gives Four when he isn't paying attention, last night's loss must have bothered Eric more than he let on. Winning capture the flag is a matter of pride, and pride is important to the Dauntless. More important than reason or sense.

"Can you two shut up," Peter snapped making Eric look to us with a loathing filled glare "What seems to be the problem?" his hands behind his back as he moved closer.

"Edward and his little girlfriend won't shut up," Peter smirked but Eric looked demented "What is so important you feel the need to talk?" he growled I moved back as Edward looked horrified.

"One Edward isn't my boyfriend, second we were pondering why Four was showing us how to aim the dagger when it is you for today that is teaching us, do you have the same style of aim and stance as Four?" I said, it was a lie, I hate lying. But I needed to unless I wanted to be punished again.

"No we don't, after his demonstration I will also show you, so you might get a feel for different ways. That was a good question Wyatt," he smiled as Edward and I let the breath we had been holding out. "Of course," Peter growls.

"Try harder next time you damn pussy," I whispered, I watch Four's arm as he throws a knife. The next time he throws, I watch his stance. He hits the target each time, exhaling as he releases the knife.

Eric throws now, his stance is more for those with a bigger build, since they have more mass, like Al, Drew, and Molly, his knife hits the center, but the way he has to move wouldn't work for me, his eyes find mine "Better," he says.

"For certain people yes, your stance, the way you move your arm when you release wouldn't be effective for people with a slender build. You have more mass, or muscle so you have to move in a different way, Al, Drew, and Molly would be better if they watched you, following your practice," I say as he shakes his head, but Four looks smug.

Eric orders, "Line up!" Haste, I think, will not help. I have to think of this as a mental exercise, not a physical exercise. So I spend the first few minutes practicing without a knife, finding the right stance, learning the right arm motion. Eric paces too quickly behind us. "I think maybe your adoptive mother was glad to be rid of you," remarks Peter, one person down. "Hey," he screams I practice the throw again with a knife in hand but don't release it. I shut out Eric's pacing, and Peter's jeering, and the nagging feeling that Four is staring at me, and throw the knife. It spins end over end, slamming into the board. The blade sticks close to the center but I'm the first person to hit the target. I smirk as Peter misses again. I can't help myself.

"Hey, Peter," I say. "Remember what a target is?" Next to me, Edward snorts, and Edwards next knife hits the target. It looks as if Mayra and Al haven't hit their targets, Four seems to be trying to help Al as Eric looks ready to tear into Myra her hands shaking as Eric stands behind her.

I walk to the board, removing the knifes, watching Eric as he fiddles with his eyebrow ring, his nasty hair up again. I smirk nudging Edward as Peter was walking to his board, I aimed, I let out the small breath I was holding as I released it sailed right over Peter's shoulder sticking into the board as he turned his face red. I moved over to his section, taking my knife from his clenched fist. I felt eyes on me as I stood watching Eric, he was about to yell.

"How slow are you? Do you need glasses? Should I move the target closer to you?" Myra's face turns red; her eyes widen as she fights off tears. She throws another knife, and this one sails a few feet to the left of the target. It spins and bounces off the wall between the targets. "What was that, initiate?" barks Eric quietly, leaning closer to Myra. I bite my lip. This isn't good. Myra was sensitive, someone I knew wouldn't make it through initiation. She should have picked amity.

"It—it slipped," she stuttered. "Well, I think you should go get it," Eric's voice is cold. He scans the other initiates' faces —everyone has stopped throwing again—and barks, "Did I tell you to stop?" Knives start to hit the board. We have all seen Eric angry before, but this is different. The look in his eyes is almost rabid. "Go get it?" Myra's eyes are wide. "But everyone's still throwing!" her bottom lip is shaking "And?" "What if one hits me? They're knives!" "I think you can trust your fellow initiates to aim better than you." Eric smiles a little, but his eyes stay cruel.

"Go get your knife." Myra never has objected to anything the Dauntless tell us to do. I know she's afraid to; she just knows that objecting is useless, and she will either be forced to leave or killed. This time Myra sets her slender jaw even though her body trembles. She was the shortest out of all of us. Probably below 4'11. She tried to be strong, tried to be dauntless enough. But she couldn't, not this time. "No," she says, trying to steady her soft voice, make it louder.

"Why not?" Eric's beady eyes fix on her small face. "Are you afraid?" Eric continues.

"Yes" her voice shakes, "Who wouldn't be?! Knives are sailing into wooden targets, imagine what they would do to squishy skin!" Myra whimpers, "I will not step out there!" She stands rigid, she was brave for those words, brave for speaking out against Eric. Although he would look at it as cowardice. Peter grins at her discomfort. Honesty is her mistake. Not her refusal, which Eric might have accepted. He would have punished her but not as severally as he was going to now. "Everyone stop!" Eric shouts. The knives stop, and so does all conversation. I hold my small dagger tightly.

"Everyone away from the targets! Now!" Eric looks at Myra. "All except you." I hesitate, this wasn't going to end well. I dropped the knives, they fell to the floor with the bone chilling sound of metal against metal. I follow the other initiates to the edge of our area, and they inch in front of me, eager to see what makes my stomach turn: Myra, facing Eric's wrath. "Stand in front of the target," says Eric.

Myra is shaking, she has been doing better. Getting stronger. And now he was tearing her down. She walks back to the target. Her chest heaving with panicked breaths. "You're going to stand there as I throw those knives," Eric says to Myra, "until you learn not to flinch. Even if these knives dog into your flesh, even if you bleed. You will stay there until you are silent and unmoving"

"Is this really necessary?" Four looks to Eric. He sounds bored, but he doesn't look bored. His face and body are tense, alert. I squeeze my hands into fists. No matter how casual Four sounds, the question is a challenge. And Four doesn't often challenge Eric directly. At first Eric stares at Four in silence. Four stares back. Seconds pass and my fingernails bite my palms. "I have the authority here, remember?" Eric says, so quietly I can barely hear him. "Here, and everywhere else." Color rushes into Four's face, though his expression does not change.

His grip on the knives tightens and his knuckles turn white as he turns to face his group.

He throws the first knife and it nicks her cheek. A whimper escapes her lips. Anger bubbles in my chest, and bursts from my mouth: "Stop it!" Eric turns the knife in his hand, his fingers moving painstakingly over the metal edge. He gives me such a hard look that I feel like he's turning me to stone. I know why. I am stupid for speaking up while he is here; I am stupid for speaking up at all. "Any idiot can stand in front of a target," I say. "It doesn't prove anything except that you're bullying us. Which, as I recall, is a sign of cowardice." I would be six feet under if looks could kill, I held my head high. "The Eric I remember wasn't this much of a coward. What changed?" I dared question, my heart hammering in my chest. If Percy was here Eric would be different, he was always a positive influence. Even on him. He wouldn't be this cruel, this hateful…if he was just here.

"Then it should be easy for you," Eric says, his teeth gritting as he ignores my question. "If you're willing to take her place." The last thing I want to do is stand in front of that target, but I can't back down now. I didn't leave myself the option. I weave through the crowd of initiates, and someone shoves my shoulder. "There goes your pretty face," hisses Peter.

"Fuck off shit breath." I murmur so only he hears, he snarls in response.

I compose myself again and walk toward Myra, her ember eyes sad. Four nods at me. I try to smile encouragingly, but I can't manage it. I stand in front of the board, and my head doesn't even reach the center of the target, but it doesn't matter. I look at Eric knives: one in his right hand, two in his left hand. My throat is dry.

I try to swallow, and then look at Eric. He is never sloppy. He will hit me but not enough to dangerously hurt me. I'll be fine. I tip my chin up. I will not flinch. If I flinch, I prove to Eric that this is not as easy as I said it was; I prove that I'm a coward. "If you flinch," Eric says, slowly, carefully, "Myra takes your place. Understand?" I nod. Eric's eyes are still on mine when he lifts his hand, pulls his elbow back, and throws the knife. It is just a flash in the air, and then I hear a thud. The knife is buried in the board, nestled beside my face, it just barely missed me. I stand straight, looking at Eric.

"You about done, smart ass?" asks Eric. I remember Myra's wide eyes and her quiet sobs at night and shake my head. "Not even close, Eric." I wasn't weak. Percy made me strong. Four. My friends.

"Very well, then." He taps the spot between his eyebrows. I stare at him, pressing my hands to my sides so no one can see them shake. He passes a knife from his left hand to his right hand, and I see nothing but his eyes as the second knife hits the target on the other side of my face, a small amount of blood trickles down. There was still one more. He was punishing me for standing up to him. I was his inferior to him, but I knew differently. I would make it through initiation and I would soon out rank him. I would beat him at his own game. "Come on, Wyatt," he taunts. "Let someone else stand there and take it." Why is he trying to goad me into giving up? Does he want me to fail? Does he think I'm that weak? It only fuels me.

"Shut up, Eric!" I hold my breath as he turns the last knife in his hand. I see a glint of malice in his eyes as he pulls his arm back and lets the knife fly. It comes straight at me, spinning, blade over handle. My body goes rigid. This time, when it hits the board, my shoulder stings, and blood tickles my skin. I don't touch my shoulder; I don't flinch either. He nicked it. And judging by the look he gives me, he did it on purpose. "I would love to stay and see if the rest of you are as daring as she is," says Eric, his voice smooth, "but I think that's enough for today." He squeezes my shoulder, sending shooting pain and blood dripping down my olive skin.

Everyone leaves for lunch as I move towards the doors, Eric stops me. "Let me look," his fingers moving over the skin "I had to get my point across, you also need to learn to be silent, Wyatt." His voice was kind and low. Something I wasn't use to, emotions I've never heard from him. I didn't even know he had them.

"Go wash your hair for once," I scoff leaving him but he was able to catch up "Watch that mouth, you keep disrespecting me you will regret it." But I still continued to walk away from Eric, my stomach in knots, my face stone cold.


	10. EAT MY ERUDITE FIST YOU LESS GREASY SHIT

_**Hello readers, here is another chapter of my story. Hope yall enjoy it. Just remember I do not own anything except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Check polyvore for outfits and character pictures Noellamonster and remember to leave a review!**_

Visiting day was here.

I lay in bed wide awake at three fifty, yesterday was hectic with us fighting again, Tris was given Peter, Eric promised me I was next to get him. I went up against the Tank, then I cleaned the floor with her, Tris took all her pent up anger out on Peter. She took it a little over board, but now most knew she was capable of so much, Christina, Myra, Tris, and I all trained together after dinner, we were determined Myra stick around. She was a very sweet girl, doesn't mean she can't be Dauntless.

But why waste any time, I move from my warm bed, taking my clothes from my trunk heading to the showers to dress. Marlene was very accommodating. She gave me a set of undergarments, black. The bra had the same crisscross cut my top had, so now I stand looking into the mirror the top was form fitting ending right under my breasts, the maxi skirt started at my hips, ending at the floor with the long slits to my pantie line. I brushed my long hair leaving it hanging down, a very small amount of Christina's eyeliner and I was finished, I had no real hope mother would show today.

Everyone was still sleeping as I checked the time after making my bed, I sighed four ten in the morning. I would die from lack of sleep soon. Dauntless was still sleeping as I walked from the dorm, everything so quiet, only a few Dauntless walked in the Pit. I loved Dauntless, the stone halls, the shops carved into the stone, it could use some technology, some safety measures, but all in all it was home. I walk into the dining hall seeing a girl setting muffins on the tables, she gave me a smile.

"You're always here early," she said before heading back into the kitchens, I suppose. I sit taking a blueberry muffin, it was warm, I finished taking another when another girl walked in she had blue hair, she was decent looking. She took a few muffins as well. She didn't smile, she just sat a few tables over, Dauntless aren't known for their kind attitudes.

"Again, I find you," I turned hearing Eric, the other girl smiles at him. Which one of us was he talking to? I was happy when he took a muffin from the girl, this was my chance to escape, plus I really didn't want to see them together. I hurried out, but his eyes looked furious, for some odd reason.

I walked the halls, but now I stand looking over the Chasm it was magnificent. It is time to wake up, I see Eric walking this way, he was in black pants with a black button up shirt, but what got my attention was that he had his hair cut. It was shaved on the sides, it was short on the top, he had it gelled to the side, he looked so much…better…

I walked away even when he called my name, Tris was dressed as was Myra and Chris. "Hey guys," I smiled walking in, Peter's eyes nearly fell out seeing my clothes.

"Where have you been?!" Christina yelled "Walking around," I laughed helping Tris with the back of her dress. Not even Christina smiles. We all know that we might go to the Pit floor and search every face and never find one that belongs to us. Eric walks in. "Attention!" he announces, messing with a ring hanging from his lip. "I want to give you some advice about today. If by some miracle your families do come to visit you…" He scans our faces and smirks. "…which I doubt, it is best not to seem too attached. That will make it easier for you, and easier for them. We all take the phrase 'faction before blood' very seriously here. Attachment to your family suggests you aren't entirely pleased with your faction, which would be shameful. Understand?" I understand. I hear the threat in Eric's sharp voice. The only part of that speech that Eric meant was the last part: We are Dauntless, and we need to act accordingly. On my way out of the dormitory, Eric stops me.

"I want you to change, I won't have you walking out there in those clothes," his fingers digging into my skin. "Eric, Max needs you it's urgent," his breath was hot on my face with his closeness. "I am coming," he growled leaving me there, I knew he scared me, his moods switched so fast. But still I walked from the dorm catching up with Myra, Tris, Al, Will, and Christina who waited by the Chasm.

"He is going to murder you before initiation is done," Myra looked worried "It is a high possibility," I retort as we walk together, all of us nervous.

"My mom and brother came," it was Myra her face bright red as she vanished "Mine too, see you all in a little since you will be meeting them," Al gave me a hug and a small kiss to the cheek, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end, I turned, Tris looking as well was Eric; he looked ready to bash heads, he was watching us from up high up.

"Christina," we looked a little girl was waving and calling "My little sister, be back," Christina laughed, now it was Will, Tris and I waiting.

"Beatrice," a pretty woman in grey slacks, a grey button down jacket stood her hands clasped in front of her. I watched Tris's mother's eye light up at the sight of her daughter, she smiles, touching Tris's cheek.

"Look at you," she says "You've filled out," Tris was hugging her mother as Will and I backed away. I turned seeing Cara, but my mother wasn't here, no matter how many times I looked she wouldn't be there.

"Wait, mother this is my best friend, Wyatt," Tris smiled her eyes shining with tears "Hello, Mrs. Prior. It is my pleasure to meet you, you have raised an amazing daughter, thank you." I say my hand out she shook it, it was firm, her smile was warm as well.

"Mother this is another friend Will," Will smiled "Hello ma'am," always polite.

"Tris we will talk later, enjoy your time with your mother," I smiled "Your mom isn't here, is she?" Tris looked sad now, this was a good day for her. "No, nor did I expect her too." I try and smile.

"I am sorry to hear your mother has not come, you may walk with us," her mother offered "Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Prior, but Will's sister is here and I grew up with her. Not all Erudites are the same," now we did walk away, Cara smiled seeing us.

"You both have grown, come here let me see," she hugged each of us in turn, her eyes moving over us "Will you have grown nearly a foot, and so much muscle now. Oh Wyatt, Percy would be so proud. You look amazing, your body is now lean and fit, you look so strong. How has everything gone for you two?" she gushed her blonde hair falling from her bun as we walked.

I listened to Will regaling stories to Cara as we stopped at the railings of the chasm "Now you Wyatt," she smiled.

"It has been harsh, but not unexpected. I have done well for myself," I say "Don't let her fool you Cara, she is ranked high, her only problem is 6'4 with dark hair," he laughed as Cara gave me a serious look.

"A boy, do you like him?" she smiled "Umm, he said problem, its Eric," I laugh at her face "He has been hurtful towards you?" now she was mad.

"He hit her, he tossed knifes at her, look at her shoulder, he cut her," this was Will's small form of revenge, Cara has a mean protective strike a mile wide. Her eyes narrowed looking around, then her fingers moved over my shoulder "Oh angel, I will get a gel for this," she cooed like I was still ten, but it was comforting.

"I need to speak to his greasy ass, Wyatt locate him," I gave a small nod walking away from them seeing Max talking to Al's parents.

"Wyatt," I turned seeing Myra with her parents "Hello, Myra. Sir, Ma'am," I smile "These are my parents," I was introduced we talked for a few minutes before making it to Max.

"Max, by chance have you seen Eric. A message has come in for him," I smile "Yes my dear, take this hall, his office is the last door on the left,"

"Thank you sir," I smiled at Al.

"Wyatt, these are my parents," I shook hands "It is a pleasure," I smiled his father smiling between Al and I, I was unsure of why.

"I will see you later Al," he wrapped me in a hug "Sorry I told them you were my girlfriend," I sighed, I kissed his cheek "We will talk later," I walked to my right heading down the deserted hall, walking to the far end seeing a blue light coming from under the door. I gave one firm knock, then another.

"Come in," his voice echoed as I walked into his personal office he was behind a laptop, his eyes surprised seeing me "Wyatt a pleasant surprise," he smiled.

"Cara would like to see you, Eric," I say "I am busy, so I hear you have a boyfriend," now I was getting the evil eye.

"Al has said that, but none the less, it doesn't mean it's true. Why, would it matter to you if I did or not? But I will alert Cara that you are busy and can't talk to her right now," I turn to leave.

"I told you to change clothes, meet me in the training room in your training clothes in thirty minutes." He never answered me.

"Even as Dauntless leader you can't tell me how to dress, these are Dauntless clothes. I try to stay away from you, so you don't act like a monster, but you single me out." I snapped as he moved from his desk, but I rushed from the room with him right behind me, I was nearly in a sprint, I nearly knocked Al down.

Thankfully Cara was coming, her arm came around me "I am leaving but hold on, I see him," she was off and Eric retreated heading back down to his office "Oh don't you try it, I am going to rip you a new one Matthews! I told you about picking on my baby brother, not to mention that little angel!" we heard as if we were back in the schools' hallways.

We walked around, Will was talking to Christina. I walked up to Four as Tris and her mother left him. "Hello, since it is visiting day, I wanted to spend it with my brother." I smiled, he had this easy going smile.

We walked together, talking, I guess his mother was banished from Abnegation so I was a Stiff too or was I still Erudite, guess that doesn't matter. I am Dauntless now. He had to leave with Zeke as I left to the dorm, needing to change after seeing Cara walking from Dauntless her hair now full from her bun, she was muttering, people looking at her.

I was alone when I changed into training clothes, I could see Al and I together here in Dauntless, but something was nagging at me. I walked on bare feet to the training room, I wasn't surprised to see Eric sporting a fat lip "Such a tattle tale," he snapped touching it.

"I never said a word," I laughed "Will," he growled "Leave him alone, or she will come back," I couldn't stop smiling, he actually smiled back.

"First, we will do some cardio," I groaned, he was ruthless, my arms sore, my legs heavy, I had sweat in new areas. He had me doing push up's, squats, and so much more for over an hour "All this because you didn't like my clothes," I yell my face red.

"I am talking to Max, I read Dauntless rules. You have no right to do this because of my clothes," I made a move to walk away.

But he was fast, he had me pinned to the wall, I didn't try and fight him "You will do no such thing," he dragged me into the arena, "Come here, I am going to show you a few moves," his voice lower now, I moved closer against my will, knowing I was at some point going to get hurt.

He wrapped his arms around me; his breathing hit my neck he had some form of hold on me "Can you move from my hold, or do you not want to?" I swear he was flirting with me, as I couldn't move from it, but I could make him release his hold. If I bashed my head back it would only hit his chest, so I did what no one else would do to Eric. I grabbed his manly area, in a firm grasp, giving a little twist hearing his scream in my ear.

But he let me go, I released my hold as he gasped for air, he grabbed my leg knocking me to the floor he was on me in the next second, his hands held my wrist firmly above my head his face so close I could smell his coffee breath. His eyes cold, but there was something more lingering there. My stomach turned into knots, made of snakes. When I felt his warm lips press on mine, everything came undone. He kissed me. His hands moved down my arms, until they rested on my face, his tongue moved over my bottom lip, I heard the door. I punched him in his throat, knocking him right off as Zeke and a girl walked in.

"Can I help you?" Eric snarled out "Was just going to train with Shauna," he smiled as they moved towards the bag "Wyatt enough training for today, I suggest you listen to me, even if it is about how you dress." He growled as I gave a pleading look to Zeke.

"By the way Wyatt, I thought you looked fantastic," Zeke smiled but Shauna was staring at me, her face pale "Wyatt?" she moved forward.

"Oh, Wyatt this is Shauna. Her and Percy dated for a while," Zeke said now his voice low as they walked over "He spoke of you so much, at first I was jealous. But I saw he loved you as his baby sister," I watched as a few tears leaked from her eyes.

"He spoke of you too; I have to be going. I think Eric broke a rib," I turned on my heel needing to leave, she was a reminder of how happy Percy was. Dauntless was at its peak. I walked back to the dorm. At dinner I sit with Christina, Tris, Edward, Myra, Will, and Al at a table in the corner. We are uncomfortably close to Peter, Drew, and Molly, who are at the next table over. When conversation at our table reaches a lull, I hear every word they say. They are speculating about the ranks. What a surprise.

My group talks about pets, but I have no real interest in the conversation. "I would be mad, I love roasted chicken," I smile at Christina, she gave me a firm nod "But it was funny," after dinner we go back to the dormitory, and it's hard for me not to sprint, knowing that the rankings will be up when I get there. I want to get it over with. At the door to the dormitory, there is already a mob of initiates.

I see that the blackboard is on the ground, leaning against Four's legs, facing away from us. He stands with a piece of chalk in one hand. "For those of you who just came in, I'm explaining how the ranks are determined," he says looking at Tris. "After the first round of fights, we ranked you according to your skill level. The number of points you earn depends on your skill level and the skill level of the person you beat. You earn more points for improving and more points for beating someone of a high skill level. I don't reward preying on the weak. That is cowardice." I think his eyes linger on Peter at that last line, but they move on quickly enough that I'm not sure. "If you have a high rank, you lose points for losing to a low-ranked opponent."

Molly lets out an unpleasant noise, like a snort or a grumble. "Stage two of training is weighted more heavily than stage one, because it is more closely tied to overcoming cowardice," he says. "That said, it is extremely difficult to rank high at the end of initiation if you rank low in stage one." I shift from one foot to the other, trying to get a good look at him.

"We will announce the cuts tomorrow," Four says. "The fact that you are transfers and the Dauntless-born initiates are not will not be taken into consideration. Four of you could be factionless and none of them. Or four of them could be factionless and none of you. Or any combination thereof. That said, here are your ranks."

He hangs the board on the hook and steps back so we can see the rankings:

1\. Edward/ Wyatt

2\. Peter

3\. Will

4\. Christina

5\. Molly

6\. Tris

Beating Molly must have boosted Tris's rank more than I thought it would. And losing to me seems to have lowered hers. I skip to the bottom of the list.

7\. Myra

8\. Al

9\. Drew

Al isn't dead last, but unless the Dauntless-born initiates completely failed their version of stage one of initiation, he is factionless.

Then it falls. "What?" demands Molly. She points at Christina. "I beat her! I beat her in minutes, and she's ranked above me?" "Yeah," says Christina, crossing her arms. She wears a smug smile. "And?" "If you intend to secure yourself a high rank, I suggest you don't make a habit of losing to low-ranked opponents," says Four, his voice cutting through the mutters and grumbles of the other initiates. He pockets the chalk and walks past me without glancing in my direction. The words sting a little, reminding me that I am the low-ranked opponent he's referring to. Apparently they remind Molly, too.

"You," she says, focusing her narrowed eyes on Tris. "You are going to pay for this." I expect her to do something, but she does nothing but leave the dorm. Peter didn't say anything when the rankings went up, which, given his tendency to complain about anything that doesn't go his way, is surprising. He just walks to his bunk and sits down, untying his shoelaces. That makes me feel even more uneasy. He can't possibly be satisfied with second place. Not Peter.

"Look at you. Number six," Will says to Tris, grinning. "Still might not have been good enough," she reminded him. "It will be, don't worry," I say. "We should celebrate." "Well, let's go, then," says Christina, grabbing my arm with one hand and Al's arm with the other. "Come on, Al. You don't know how the Dauntless-born did. You don't know anything for sure."

"I'm just going to go to bed," he mumbles, pulling his arm free, I frown.

That night I have trouble falling asleep, all I think about is the kiss.


	11. YOU LEMON SCENTED DOUCHEBAG

_**Hello my fellow readers, here is another chapter of my story. I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Remember to check polyvore for outfits and character pictures Noellamonster and leave a review!**_

It's noon, it's lunch time. We sit in a hallway that I don't recognize. We walked here because we needed to get away from the dormitory. "So my mother was acting odd, when I came to an understanding. She knew the halls, knew about the initiation process, cake, and everything. My mother was a Dauntless born. She warned me," Tris whispers, we came here to talk away from our friends.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. "Well, that is a good thing. We will need to talk to Tori very soon the next stage is coming and we have no real idea what is coming. I could ask Eric and pray he doesn't kill me for asking," I smiled "He is cruel," she said in a more serious tone. But I wasn't sure if he was or not. I hear people approaching, their footsteps echoing on the stone floor. "Ladies?" I look up. Uriah stops in front of us. He waves along the Dauntless-born initiate's he walks with. They exchange looks but keep moving. "You ladies okay?" he says. "I had a difficult night." "Yeah, I heard about that you tied for first. I saw Edward, Peter and that big guy talking. Before we came in here," Uriah looks down the hallway. The Dauntless born initiates disappear around a corner. Then he grins a little. "Want to get out of here?"

"What?" I ask, I was more concerned about those boys talking. "Where are you going?" Tris asked my head racing.

"To a little initiation ritual, he says. "Come on. We have to hurry." I briefly consider my options, we can sit here, we can go, or we can figure out why Edward and Al would be chatting with that walking shit stain Peter.

I push myself to my feet with Tris who looks excited we jog next to Uriah to catch up to the Dauntless-born initiates. "The only initiates they usually let come are ones with older siblings in Dauntless," he says. "But they might not even notice. Just act like you belong."

"What exactly are we doing?"

"Something dangerous," he says. A look I can only describe as Dauntless mania enters his eyes. Excitement replaces the leaden feeling inside me. We slow when we reach the Dauntless-born initiates. "What's the Stiff and the smart-ass doing here?" asks a boy with a metal ring between his nostrils. "I invited them, you got a problem Gabe?" says Uriah.

"This is for Dauntless with siblings, like myself. I have had two siblings here in Dauntless," my head held high as he gave me a look before he smiled. Gabe shrugs and turns away.

No one else says anything, though a few of them give us sidelong glances like they're sizing me up. The Dauntless-born initiates are like a pack of dogs. "You okay Tris?" I asked as she gives me a yes.

But for now, we are safe. We turn another corner, and a group of members stands at the end of the next hallway. There are too many of them to all be related to a Dauntless-born initiates, but I see some similarities among the faces.

"Let's go, oh hey there Wyatt." Zeke smiled "Hello, Zeke," I smile as he turns and plunges through a dark doorway. The other members follow him, and we follow them. I stay close behind Uriah my hand in Tris's as I pass into darkness and Tris's toe hits a step. I catch myself before falling forward with her and start to climb.

"Back staircase," Uriah says, almost mumbling. "Usually locked." I nod, though he can't see me, and climb until all the steps are gone. By then, a door at the top of the staircase is open, letting in daylight. We emerge from the ground a few hundred yards from the glass building above the Pit, close to the train tracks.

I feel like I have done this a thousand times before. I hear the train horn. I feel the vibrations in the ground. I see the light attached to the head car. I crack my knuckles and bounce once on my heels, I enjoyed this part. We jog in a single pack next to the car, and in waves, members and initiates alike pile into the car. Uriah gets in before me, and people press behind me. I can't make any mistakes; I throw myself sideways, grabbing the handle on the side of the car, and swing in my feet steady on the moving train car, Uriah grabs Tris just to steady her. The train picks up its speed. Uriah Tris and I sit against one of the walls. I shout over the wind, "Where are we going?" Uriah shrugs. "Zeke never told me."

"Zeke?" Tris questions "My older brother," he says. He points across the room at a boy sitting in the doorway with his legs dangling out of the car. He is slight and short and looks nothing like Uriah, apart from his coloring.

"You don't get to know." Zeke smiled with a sassy wink.

"That ruins the surprise!" Shauna who is on my left shouts.

She extends her hand to Tris "I'm Shauna." I watch Tris shake her hand "Hello again Wyatt," she smiled.

"I'm—" Tris starts to say. "I know who you are," she says. "You're the Stiff. Four told me about you." I pray the heat in Tris cheeks does not become visible. "Oh? What did he say?" She smirks at me.

"He said you were a Stiff. Why do you ask?"

"If my instructor is talking about me," Tris says, as firmly as she can, "I want to know what he's saying." I hope they believe her

"He isn't coming, is he?" I added.

"No. He never comes to this, Percy did all the time, he loved it," she says.

"It' probably lost its appeal. Not much scares him, you know." He isn't coming.

"Do you know him well?" Tris asked. She's showing too much curiosity for a dauntless. "Everyone knows Four," she says. "We were initiates together. I was bad at fighting, so he and Percy taught me every night after everyone was asleep." She scratches the back of her neck, her expression suddenly serious.

"Nice of him." She gets up and stands behind the members sitting in the doorway. In a second, her serious expression is gone, but I still feel rattled by what she said, my heart aching from the mention of my lost brother yet happy that he made a lasting impression on the people around him. He was amazing. I missed him more than I could ever explain.

"Here we go!" shouts Shauna. The train doesn't slow down, but she throws herself out of the car. The other members follow her, a stream of black-clothed, pierced people not much older than I am. I stand in the doorway next to Tris. The train is going much faster than it has every other time I've jumped. But I jump, hitting the ground hard and stumbling forward a few steps before I regain my balance. Tris and I jog to catch up to the members, along with the other initiates, who barely look in our direction. I look around as I walk. The Hub is behind us, black against the clouds, but the buildings around me are dark and silent. That means we must be north of the bridge, where the city is abandoned. We turn a corner and spread out as we walk down Michigan Avenue. South of the bridge, Michigan Avenue is a busy street, crawling with people, but here it is bare.

As soon as I lift my eyes to scan the buildings, I know where we're going: the empty Hancock building, a black pillar with crisscrossed girders, the tallest building north of the bridge. But what are we going to do? Climb it? As we get closer, the members start to run, and Uriah, Tris and I sprint to catch them. Jostling one another with their elbows, they push through a set of doors at the building's base. The glass in one of them is broken, so it is just a frame. I step through it instead of opening it and follow the members through an eerie, dark entryway, crunching broken glass beneath my feet. I expect us to go up the stairs, but we stop at the elevator bank. It hits me, I was with other Dauntless members, I wasn't breaking any rules, but if Eric found out I was dead, he might kill me this time.

"Do the elevators work?" I looked around as Tris asked Uriah, as quietly as she can. "Sure they do," says Zeke, rolling his eyes.

"You think I'm stupid enough not to come here early and turn on the emergency generator?"

"Yeah," says Uriah. "I kinda do." Zeke glares at his brother, then puts him in a headlock and rubs his knuckles into Uriah's skull. Zeke may be smaller than Uriah, but he must be stronger. Or at least faster. Uriah smacks him in the side, and he lets go. I grin at the sight of Uriah's disheveled hair, and the elevator doors open. We pile in, members in one and initiates in the other. "Come on Wyatt, you're with me," Shauna smiles her hand out as Zeke smiles, but I don't want to leave Tris, I give a smile but my eyes dart to Tris.

"Oh yeah, forgot. No problem," they smile as the doors closed "They invited her to go," A girl with a shaved head stomps on my toes on the way in and doesn't apologize, her words make me angry. I bash my elbow into her face hearing a snap.

"If I was you, I would be careful. I will not take any form of disrespect from anyone. If you choose to have a problem with us, keep your trap shut or I will break your jaw," I snarl seeing blood trickling down her nose.

"Lynn, knock it off, she is good they both are. Don't make waves," Marlene said her face serious as she turned winking at Uriah.

Uriah stares at his reflection in the elevator doors and pats his hair down. "What floor?" the girl Lynn says, she uses her sleeve to stop the flow of blood. "One hundred," Tris says.

"How would you know that?"

"Lynn, come on," says Uriah. "Be nice." "We're in a one-hundred-story abandoned building with some Dauntless," I retort. "Why don't you know that?" She doesn't respond.

She just jams her thumb into the right button. The elevator zooms upward so fast my stomach sinks and my ears pop. I grab a railing at the side of the elevator, watching the numbers climb. We pass twenty, and thirty, and Uriah's hair is finally smooth. Fifty, sixty, and my worry increased about those boys having a talk, it wasn't sitting right with me. Ninety-eight, ninety-nine, and the elevator comes to a stop at one hundred. I'm glad we didn't take the stairs.

"I wonder how we'll get to the roof from…" Uriah's voice trails off. A strong wind hits me, pushing my hair across my face. There is a gaping hole in the ceiling of the hundredth floor. Zeke props an aluminum ladder against its edge and starts to climb. The ladder creaks and sways beneath his feet, but he keeps climbing, whistling as he does. I start to pull my massive amount of hair into a messy bun, I wasn't having it get caught on anything.

When he reaches the roof, he turns around and holds the top of the ladder for the next person. Part of me wonders if this is a suicide mission disguised as a game. It isn't the first time I've wondered that since the Choosing Ceremony. I climb the ladder after Tris. It reminds me of climbing the rungs on the Ferris wheel with Four close at my heels. I make it to the top and stand on the roof of the Hancock building. The wind is so powerful I hear and feel nothing else. I have to lean against Gabe to keep from falling over. At first, all I see is the marsh, wide and brown and everywhere, touching the horizon, devoid of life. In the other direction is the city, and in many ways it is the same, lifeless and with limits I do not know. Gabe points to something. Attached to one of the poles on top of the tower is a steel cable as thick as my wrist. On the ground is a pile of black slings made of tough fabric, large enough to hold a human being. Zeke grabs one and attaches it to a pulley that hangs from the steel cable. I follow the cable down, over the cluster of buildings and along Lake Shore Drive. I don't know where it ends. One thing is clear, though: If I go through with this, I'll find out. We're going to slide down a steel cable in a black sling from one thousand feet up.

"Oh my God," says Uriah. All I can do is nod. Shauna is the first person to get in the sling. She wriggles forward on her stomach until most of her body is supported by black fabric. Then Zeke pulls a strap across her shoulders, the small of her back, and the top of her thighs. He pulls her, in the sling, to the edge of the building and counts down from five. Shauna gives a thumbs-up as he shoves her forward, into nothingness. Lynn gasps as Shauna hurtles toward the ground at a steep incline, headfirst.

I push past her to see better. Shauna stays secure in the sling for as long as I can see her, and then she's too far away, just a black speck over Lake Shore Drive. The members whoop and pump their fists and form a line, sometimes shoving one another out of the way to get a better place. Somehow I am the first initiate in line, right in front of Uriah. Only seven people stand between me and the zip line. Still, there is a part of me that groans, I have to wait for seven people?

I stand on tip toe, getting Zeke's attention, I have to go next. He looks over "Come on over Wyatt, we are letting a dear friend of mines little sister go next," he yelled as Gabe pulled me away from Tris towards Zeke.

But when I look over my shoulder, I see that most of the initiates look pale or worried, even if they talk excitedly to one another. What happens between initiation and member ship that transforms panic into delight? Or do people just get better at hiding their fear?

I shudder as Zeke hangs my sling from the cable. I am excited as I climb in. "Don't worry," Zeke says right next to my ear. He takes my arm and helps me get in, facedown. The straps tighten around my midsection, and Zeke slides me forward, to the edge of the roof. I stare down the building's steel girders and black windows, all the way to the cracked sidewalk. I am a fool for doing this. And a fool for enjoying the feeling of my heart slamming against my sternum and sweat gathering in the lines of my palms. "Ready, Wyatt?" Zeke smirks down at me.

"I have to say, I'm impressed that you aren't screaming and crying right now." Gabe says.

"I told you," Uriah says. "She's Dauntless through and through. Now get on with it."

"Careful, brother, or I might not tighten your straps enough," Zeke says. He smacks s his knee. "And then, splat!" "Yeah, yeah," Uriah says. "And then our mother would boil you alive."

Hearing him talk about his mother, about his intact family, makes my chest hurt for a second, like someone pierced it with a needle. "Only if she found out." Zeke tugs on the pulley attached to the steel cable. It holds, which is fortunate, because if it breaks, my death will be swift and certain. He looks down at me and says, "Ready, set, g—" Before he can finish the word "go," he releases the sling and I forget him, I forget Uriah, family, and all my worries, all the things that could malfunction and lead to my death. I hear metal sliding against metal and feel wind so intense it forces tears into my eyes as I hurtle toward the ground. I feel like I am without substance, without weight. Ahead of me the marsh looks huge, its patches of brown spreading farther than I can see, even up this high. The air is so cold and so fast that it hurts my face. I pick up speed and a shout of exhilaration rises within me, stopped only by the wind that fills my mouth the second my lips part. Held secure by the straps, I throw my arms out to the side and imagine that I am flying. I plunge toward the street, which is cracked and patchy and follows perfectly the curve of the marsh. I can imagine, up here, how the marsh looked when it was full of water, like liquid steel as it reflected the color of the sky. My heart beats so hard it hurts, and I can't scream and I can't breathe, but I also feel everything, every vein and every fiber, every bone and every nerve, all awake and buzzing in my body as if charged with electricity. This was pure adrenaline.

The ground grows and bulges beneath me, and I can see the tiny people standing on the pavement below. I should scream, like any rational human being would, but when I open my mouth again, I just crow with joy. I yell louder, and the figures on the ground pump their fists and yell back, but they are so far away I can barely hear them. I look down and the ground smears beneath me, all gray and white and black, glass and pavement and steel. Tendrils of wind, soft as hair, wrap around my fingers and push my arms back. I try to pull my arms to my chest again, it works.

The ground grows bigger and bigger. I don't slow down for another minute at least but sail parallel to the ground, like a bird. When I slow down, I run my fingers over my face. I hang about twenty feet above the ground, but that height seems like nothing now. I reach behind me and work to undo the straps holding me in. My fingers shake, but I still manage to loosen them. A crowd of members stands below. They grasp one another's arms, forming a net of limbs beneath me. In order to get down, I have to trust them to catch me. I have to accept that these people are mine, and I am theirs.

It is a braver act than sliding down the zip line. I wriggle forward and fall. I hit their arms hard. Wrist bones and forearms press into my back, and then palms wrap around my arms and pull me to my feet. I don't know which hands hold me and which hands don't; I see grins and hear laughter. "What'd you think?" Shauna says, clapping me on the shoulder. "Um…" All the members stare at me. They look as windblown as I feel, the frenzy of adrenaline in their eyes and their hair askew.

"When can I go again?" I say. My smile stretches wide enough to show teeth, and when they laugh, I laugh.

I look toward the Hancock building, which is so far from where I stand that I can't see the people on its roof. "Look! There he is!" someone says, pointing over my shoulder. I follow the pointed finger toward a small dark shape sliding down the steel wire. A few seconds later I hear a bloodcurdling scream. "I bet he'll cry." "Zeke's brother, cry? No way." I say that had to be wrong, Zeke was strong that had to have been instilled into Uriah.

He would get punched so hard." "His arms are flailing!"

"He sounds like a strangled cat," I hear another as we laugh again. When Uriah finally comes to a stop, I follow the members to meet him. We line up beneath him and thrust our arms into the space between us. Shauna clamps a hand around my elbow. I grab another arm—I'm not sure who it belongs to, there are too many tangled hands—and look up at her. We do this again and again, until Tris joins us, looking like me all windblown.

"Guess we can't call you Stiff anymore," one says "Tris," she offered as we are ready to catch Zeke, my arms are sore now.

I still smell like wind when we walk into the cafeteria that evening. For the second after we all walk in, I stand among a crowd of Dauntless, and I feel like one of them.

Then Shauna waves to me and the crowd breaks apart, and I walk toward the table where Christina, Al, Edward, and Will sit, gaping at us. I didn't think about them when we accepted Uriah's invitation. In a way, it is satisfying to see stunned looks on their faces. But I don't want them to be upset with me either.

"Where were you?" asks Christina. "What were you doing with them?" Will added.

"Uriah…you know, the Dauntless-born who was on our capture the flag team?" I say. "He was leaving with some of the members and he begged them to let Tris and I come along. They didn't really want me there. Some girl named Lynn stepped on me, so I broke her nose,"

"They may not have wanted you there then," says Will quietly, "but they seem to like you now."

"Yeah," Tris says. I can't deny it either.

"I'm glad to be back, though." Hopefully they can't tell I'm lying, but I suspect they can. I caught sight of myself in a window on the way into the compound, and my cheeks and eyes were both bright, my hair falling from it holder. I look like I have experienced something powerful.

"Well, you missed Christina almost punching an Erudite," says Al. His voice sounds eager. I can count on Al to try to break the tension. "He was here asking for opinions about the Abnegation leadership, and Christina told him there were more important things for him to be doing." I was thrilled to my core Christina defended Tris.

"Which she was completely right about," adds Will. "And he got testy with her. Big mistake." "Huge," I say, nodding. If I smile enough, maybe I can make them forget their jealousy, or hurt, or whatever is brewing behind Christina's eyes.

"Yeah," she says. "While you were off having fun, I was doing the dirty work of defending your old faction, eliminating interfaction conflict…"

"Enough Christina, that shade of green doesn't fit you. If you remember we asked you to come for a walk with us, if you would have come you would have joined us. But you were flirting with Will," I snapped at her as her eyes looked shocked.

"I know, but your both look like something great happened," her anger deflated "It was, honestly. We zip lined, you have to come next time, I will ask Zeke how soon it can happen," she looked sad her head pressed against the table "I always miss the fun shit. All I got to do was fight," she groaned.

"Come on, you know you enjoyed it," says Will, nudging her with his elbow. "If you're not going to tell the whole story, I will. He was standing…" Will launches into his story, and Tris and I nod along, I look over Will's shoulder at the members, who are now flicking bits of food at one another with their forks. It's the first time I have been really eager to be one of them. Which means I have to survive the next stage of initiation.

"Hey, Chris bring Will to the training room," I whisper in her ear as I get up dragging Tris with me. Once in the training room, I waited until they walked in "What's up?" Will asked.

"Uriah told us he saw Edward, Al, and Peter in a rather deep discussion before we left. Will, it isn't logical those two would stand next to him and talk unless they are planning something. I know Edward is angry we are tied, and Al is nearly last," I say, now we all looked worried.

"You're right, from now one we watch our backs, no more talking about things until we know they aren't against us," Christina says her brow furrowed when the door burst open. Eric stood there looking at us "I was looking for you," he growled.

"And now you have found me," I smiled "Where were you?" he asked as everyone watched "I was with Uriah, Gabe, Lynn, Marlene, and Tris," I just kept smiling as he narrowed his eyes, but he left the room.

"I swear," Will smiled sweating a little "I know," I groan as we walked from the training room together.

It is not that late but stage two starts tomorrow so we all go to bed early. I move from my bed "going to get a drink," I whisper as Tris also moves from I am going to the bathroom," she says.

My hand skimming the wall to keep my path straight. A bulb glows blue above the drinking fountain, my bare feet on the cold floor.

I tug my hair over one shoulder and bend over. As soon as the water touches my lips, I hear voices at the end of the hallway. I creep closer to them, trusting the dark to keep me hidden. "So far there haven't been any signs of it." Eric's voice. Signs of what? "Well, you wouldn't have seen much of it yet," someone replies. A female voice; cold and familiar, but familiar, it's his mother, its Mrs. Matthews.

"Combat training shows you nothing. The simulations, however, reveal who the Divergent rebels are, if there are any, so we will have to examine the footage several times to be sure." The word "Divergent" makes me go cold. I lean forward, my back pressed to the stone, trying to keep my breathing silent. "Don't forget the reason I had Max appoint you," his mother says. "Your first priority is always finding them. Always."

"I won't forget." He is a monster. He is a monster who is going to kill me.

I shift a few inches forward, hoping I am still hidden. I tilt my head forward, straining to see them before they turn the corner. Then someone grabs me from behind. I start to scream, but a hand claps over my mouth. It smells like soap and it's big enough to cover the lower half of my face. I thrash, but the arms holding me are too strong, and I bite down on one of the fingers. "Ow!" a rough voice cries.

"Shut up and keep her mouth covered." That voice is higher than the average male's and clearer. Peter. A strip of dark cloth covers my eyes, and a new pair of hands ties it at the back of my head. I struggle to breathe. There are at least two hands on my arms, dragging me forward, and one on my back, shoving me in the same direction, and one on my mouth, keeping my screams in. Three people.

My chest hurts. I can't resist three people on my own. "Wonder what it sounds like when an Erudite bitch begs for mercy," Peter says with a chuckle.

"Hurry up." I try to focus on the hand on my mouth. There must be something distinct about it that will make him easier to identify. His identity is a problem I can solve. I need to solve a problem right now, or I will panic. The palm is sweaty and soft. I clench my teeth and breath through my nose. The soap smell is familiar. Lemongrass and sage. The same smell surrounds Edwards bunk. A weight drops into my stomach. I hear the crash of water against rocks. We are near the chasm—we must be above it, given the volume of the sound. I press my lips together to keep from screaming. If we are above the chasm, I know what they intend to do to me. "Lift her up, c'mon." I thrash, and their rough skin grates against mine, but I know it's useless. I scream too, knowing that no one can hear me here. I will survive until tomorrow. I will. The hands push me around and up and slam my spine into something hard and cold. Judging by its width and curvature, it is a metal railing. It is the metal railing, the one that overlooks the chasm. My breaths wheeze and mist touches the back of my neck. The hands force my back to arch over the railing. My feet leave the ground, and my attackers are the only thing keeping me from falling into the water. A heavy hand gropes along my chest.

"You sure you're sixteen, bitch? God, sure feels like you're more than sixteen." The other boys laugh. Bile rises in my throat and I swallow the bitter taste. More laughter. Edwards hand slips from my mouth. "Stop that," he snaps. I recognize his low, distinct voice. When Edward lets go of me, I thrash again and slip down to the ground. This time, I am ready, my arms now in front of me, I pull the clothe from my head.

"Pussys," I smile as white heat races through my head. It would have been pain if adrenaline wasn't coursing through me like acid. A foot drives into my side, forcing the air from my lungs. I gasp and cough and claw at the back of my head. Someone grabs a hand full of my hair and slams my head against something hard. I move fast bringing Drew over me, his body slamming into the floor, I kick the side of his face, as Peter and Edward make their moves. The scene before me is sideways and bobs up and down. I see someone running toward us and someone running away—someone large, Edward. I grab the railing next to me my side on fire.

Peter wraps a hand around my throat and lifts me up, his thumb wedged under my chin. His hair, which is usually shiny and smooth, is tousled and sticks to his forehead. His pale face is contorted and his teeth are gritted, and he holds me over the chasm as spots appear on the edges of my vision, crowding around his face, green and pink and blue. He says nothing. I kick him back, his back nailing the railing as he screamed in pain, I hooked my elbows over the railings and groan.

Mist touches my ankles. The world dips and sways around me, and someone is on the Pit floor—Drew—screaming, Peter screaming, another female voice screaming. I hear thumps. Kicks. Cursing. Groans. I blink a few times and focus as hard as I can on the only face I can see. It is contorted with anger. His eyes are dark and cold. "Eric," I croak. I close my eyes, and hands wrap around my waist, right where they join with the shoulder. He pulls me over the railing and against his chest, gathering me into his arms, anchoring an arm under my knees. I press my face into his shoulder, and there is a sudden, hollow silence. He carries me, I don't know where but it's safe, I am safe.

I know he is turning, I hear a door unlocking before I am placed on something soft and something warm encased me, I opened my eyes, a black cover was wrapped around me as Eric moved away into a small kitchen area. He comes back with a mug "Here, its hot chocolate," the mug was so very warm, I drank, it was liquid heaven as I moaned. He left me here alone, I looked around I was on a sofa, his bed made perfectly, his place was spotless, except for this sofa it was worn, he slept here, his smell covered it.

He returned sometime later "Someone attacked the Stiff as well, but she is safe with Four, make no mistake they will pay more than they have already," he said his voice fierce.

 _ **Eric's point of view…**_

I look at her sitting there, a large bruise already evident on her side, anger red hot boiled under the surface, I would kill all those involved. I had just returned with my mother; I was at Erudite earlier needing to speak to father. Our conversation came to mind.

I sit across from my father, his eyes looking over me "I like your hair son."

"I like a girl, but she doesn't seem to like me back. I means she likes the way I look though," I say, I was nervous, mother would find out soon.

"Well, Eric, I love you son. Please take what I am about to say as love. Stop being you, I didn't raise you to be so cold, your mother did, I have no real clue how you turned out this way when you could be so much more, so much better," I wanted to yell but he was right, he was right.

Now here I sit with Wyatt, I can't recall when I started liking her, but it is the truth, I do so very much. I tried to control her and it failed to work, but I used that to my advantage, punishing her with some extra training. She was a wildcat, she held her own against those boys, but now they had me to deal with.

"Are you okay, Eric?" she questions her hazel eyes looking at me "I am beyond seeing reason, attacking in such a manner. It disgraces Dauntless." I mutter.

"I am calling in that favor, since you have already beat Peter in the arena. I want you to talk to me, I want you to be honest no matter what we talk about," I say as she smiled "Bad favor, I would have done that anyways," she smiled wrapped in my blanket.

She drank as I talked "I like you, okay. I don't know when it started but never the less, I do. I know you like the way I look, but do you like me?" I asked in a rush, my fingers fiddling with my rings. She gave me a surprised look "Well, I am shocked beyond all reason. But yes, I do find you very attractive, I could see me with you, honestly. But Eric, you act like a monster, you're cruel, that is not something I could deal with. I see some sides of you before you let the anger take hold, you act like your mother, not your father who is rather nice." She says, this gave me hope, as I took her mug.

"Okay, this information I can work with." I smiled "Sleep, I am not letting you go back to your dorm tonight," I say she moves from the sofa, heading towards the bed I never used, her small body curling up, her eyes closed. I lay on my sofa, I couldn't lose her, I had to make changes but nothing drastic, I had to be true to myself as well…


	12. Heavy hearted

_**Hello fellow readers here is another chapter for yall. I still only own new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Remember to check polyvore for outfits and character pictures Noellamonster and please leave a review!**_

I sit here with a single blue light on, she was sleeping as I watched her. I was already dressed for the day coming, no way I was going to be able to sleep. I sent Cara a message, I need gel for Wyatt. She was sending it, in fact I had Kale waiting at the entrance to bring it to me. I was going to deal with each one personally, Peter, Drew, Al, Edward, and Molly. Each one was going to have to pay.

A faint knock was heard, I moved heading towards the door when she groaned, I doubt she would be sleeping much longer, she was so restless. I wasn't expecting my father to be on the other side of the door, but there he was with tan slacks and a blue tee, his arms covered in tattoo's, I knew mother found them alluring. "Dad?" I questioned.

"I heard the girl you liked was hurt, you asked Cara for some gel, so I volunteered to bring it in here stead. Plus, she was furious; you would think it was Angel or Will that were hurt," he laughed, I wanted to ask him to go but I moved to the side as he walked in to my small apartment.

"She was ranked first; it was a tie with another initiate. She and her best friend attacked by five, they came from behind, but the two girls fought back. Four and I dealt with it, well there is much more coming for those five. The Stiff is with Four and I took her." I pointed to the ball on my bed, father moved closer, a look crossed his face seeing the girl in my bed.

"Angel," he said "Shush don't wake her," I groaned but it was too late "Hello Mr. Matthews," she moved, I held my hand to her, she took it without hesitation, but winced as she stood straight.

"Oh Wyatt Angel. Here," he opened the tube, his fingers moving over her side "This will help it heal at a fast rate, here is some for your friend. Dauntless is not what it used to be, you and the other leaders have lost sight of what Dauntless is about…I suggest you fix it before it's too late. I knew you liked Wyatt when you mentioned Wyatt was in your Aptitude test, I knew." I groaned, he didn't need to tell her that.

"What?" she looked curious "You remember for you it was a boy with dark hair, dark eyes calling for the dog, for Eric it was you, the serum had this affect causing you to see the person whom you were destined for. Eric saw you when he took his, boy get yourself together. Now, I have to go before your mother finds me missing,"

"Thank you Mr. Matthews," Wyatt embraced him "Take care little Angel, take care of her son," he said his voice was deep and gruff like my own. I walked him out. I went and took an old top of Jos' she left here, and Shauna gave me a set of black pants for her to wear. Wyatt stood her body bent over my bed as she tucked in the black sheets, I stood for a moment just watching her, the way her hair fell, the way her fingers tucked hair behind her small elf ears.

"Here, I have some clothes for you." She smiled "Thank you, Eric," her voice tired. "The bathroom is right here," I say as she walks in, I close the door leaving her to dress, I wait by the front door. I had to make sure all female clothes are burned, dad was right I wasn't a good person, I had to change.

She came from the room, the top was too short and the pants low rise, but she looked fantastic, the clear as day marks covered her side, and the side of her face. "Come on, walk with your head high." I say to her; she gives me a nod and we leave my place together.

I notice Four and the Stiff, walking "Four," I call, I had to start with him, he looks up seeing us, he gave a nod as I walked with Wyatt. He waited at the fork in the tunnels, no one else was coming, so it was safe.

"Oh Wyatt," Four says in a heartbroken tone, he moved closer to her until his arms encased her, The Stiff looked hurt "They are siblings," I say, the Stiff looks up at me, but relief was clear on her face.

"Oh Tris," I hear Wyatt she bolts to her friend they gush over each other "I don't want you walking in together, this is to look like two separate attacks instead of a single one. They have so much coming their way. Wyatt you and Tris are two different people, Wyatt head high, they intended to kill you, they can't make you weak, Tris look meek, they did this to make you feel weak, you have to pretend for now, that they accomplished it. It will also help Christina, Myra, and Will to see that facts, they will need to stick close. We are doing cuts today," I say, they both shake their heads at me, Wyatt understood the logic behind the words, and I think the Stiff did as well.

I walked in heading towards the head table seeing Max, Elba, and Frank already there, I had no clue where Rilee was. "Morning Eric," Max smiled he was a ruthless killer, Rilee and Frank don't even want to be leaders, they liked doing other things, but Elba and Max hold onto them.

"Shut it Max," I growled taking my seat, there was bad blood with us, I knew he was behind Percy's death. I watched as Wyatt walked in heading towards her normal table, Myra is seated eating, Al and Edward are watching me from another table, Peter and Molly at another. Molly and Peter look pretty beaten. Al and Edward, look ready to faint. Wyatt walks in without a care, her back straight as she smiled at Myra who ran over looking frantic.

I watched them talking, when loud mouth and Will walked in together both rushing to the table, loud mouth running her fingers over Wyatt's head her face set in a frown. Four walks in, not even looking at me. A minute later the Stiff walks in, she is cowering, I watched as she slowed her pace and hugged the wall, keeping her head down. Uriah was already at their table checking on my Wyatt with Lynn, Gabe, and Marlene as well. Gabe was getting too close.

Tris makes it to the table, she sits with Wyatt as her group starts talking. Uriah and Lynn looking over at Peter and Molly when Drew walks in, barley. Calling him "bruised" would be an understatement. His face is swollen and purple. He has a split lip and a cut running through his eyebrow. He keeps his eyes down on the way to his table, not even lifting them to look at the girls.

Wyatt and the Stiff look at me then Four, neither of us looking sorry at all. I eat, we had cuts to do, plus I had some other issues to deal with.

 _ **Wyatt's point of view…**_

My head was throbbing as was Tris's, but we sit with Christina and Will vowing not to leave us, Uriah, Lynn, Gabe, and Marleen went back to their table after we talked. I ate some fruit, as Tris ate toast, my eyes meeting Edwards, then Al's. Four gets up and stands between the tables. Conversation abruptly ceases. "Transfers. We're doing something different today," he says.

"The cuts have been made, you have a free day. After lunch you will know if you have made it passed stage one," Four says as Myra looked worried "I have a good feeling you will still be here by night fall," I smile at her.

We all start to head back to the dorm, Eric was waiting in a lone alcove near the dorm, I stood there, Peter moved, moved towards the other end of the initiates away from Eric. Some stayed, some left to the Pit "I think we all need to get a matching Dauntless tattoo," I say.

"Yes, I am in," Tris smiled "Me too," Myra and Christina added "Fine," Will rolled his eyes. Al walks in alone he moves towards us "I won't hurt you. I never wanted to…" Al covers his face with both hands. "I just want to say that I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I don't…I don't know what's wrong with me, I…please forgive me, please…." He reaches for me like he's going to touch my shoulder, or my hand, his face wet with tears.

Will holds Tris, her eyes wide "Al you have betrayed us, we were friends, we could have been more. But you let your own fear cloud your judgment, I could have died, Tris could have died. I am still in shock you and Edward went so far, it was weak and cowardice from you both. Stay away from Tris, stay away from me, if you both don't. I will kill you," my eyes harden as I glared at him, my throat tight.

He leaves, but at the doors stands Edward a black bag over his shoulder "I am leaving, I don't belong here in Dauntless. Al, come with me," he says as Al looks over at us "Yeah, let me pack," we let them leave, my heart heavy.

"I am sorry Wyatt, I was just jealous, I trained and you were able to match me. I have no excuse, I know if I stay, it will just end in my death. If Eric helped you, he will kill for you," but I didn't even look at him, we just walked away.

I sit not but twenty minutes later as Bud tattoos my left shoulder with an intricate Dauntless symbol, Will was groaning as he finished, Tris was sitting with Tori as she got the very same tattoo. "Please make sure this tattoo comes off my credit not hers. Wyatt after supper I would care to talk," it was Eric, I noticed blood covered his knuckles, I gave him a look but he shrugged.

"That is fine," I say, he left without another word.


	13. Face your fears, divergent

_**Hello fellow readers, here is another chapter of my fanfiction. I still own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Remember to check polyvore for outfits and character pictures Noellamonster and please leave a review!**_

My head slammed against the bar of my bed, sending shooting pain through my skull, my eyes watering as I chaos ensued around me, Tris looked scared I jumped from bed, in a pair of shorts and short top. The dorm was in chaos "I sleep for a few hours and everything turns to shit," I yelled Christina laughed but her face was serious, Will held her close.

"No, seriously what the hell is going on?" I asked coming up to Tris, but now I needed no explanation. From the doors hung Drew and Molly, both beaten hanging by rope; above them was a sign "Cowards, you're next," oh, shit.

I moved back "Tris, only two people could have done this," Christina gives me a look, Tris takes her hand as we head into the showers to talk "Eric and Four, they saved us, I couldn't believe Eric helped me, that is where I was at last night. Four helped Tris," I say in a low whisper.

"That's why Edward left, he knew they would also come for him. Only smart thing Al and Edward have done," Will whistled. I had to dress, we had to get out of the dorm. When walk out there is Eric, Four, Zeke, and some woman with a small gray line going through her hair "Well, they must have done something to deserve someone's ire. Their necks are broken, a fast death at least, remove them so they can be burned." Her voice so nonchalant as she walked off, right out of the dorms. But Peter looked very pale, his eyes on the sign then moving to his two friends, pure horror was written all over his face.

"Good morning," Eric turned with a wicked smile with Four at his side "We seem to have a problem here. One we will get to the bottom of, Four and myself will find the men responsible for this. Since Edward and Albert have decided life would be better factionless, and the premature death of Drew and Molly. No more cuts will be made for stage one, so for now you all are safe," Eric's smile was wicked and dangerous, the way his and Fours eyes moved, the way they held themselves tell me they are responsible for these deaths.

But for now, I can't bring myself to care, I know deep down this is horrible of Tris and I, to not care.

We dress for stage two, and as far as I can tell, the second stage of initiation involves sitting in a dark hallway with the other initiates, wondering what's going to happen behind a closed door. Uriah sits across from me, with Marlene on his left and Lynn on his right. The Dauntless-born initiates and the transfers were separated during stage one, but we will be training together from now on. That's what Four told us before he disappeared behind the door. "So," says Lynn, scuffing the floor with her shoe. "Which one of you is ranked first, huh?" Her question is met with silence at first, and then Peter clears his throat but says nothing.

"I am, Tris is fifth," I smiled leaning against the wall, Tris talks to Christina and Will. "So beauty, brains, and talent," Lynn says it casually, turning the ring in her eyebrow with her fingertips.

"I'm second, but I bet any of us could take you, transfer, what's his name again. Dead man walking, Eric is furious." I almost laugh.

"Peter," Tris says.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, if I were you," Peter says, his eyes glittering. "Who's first?" Peter asks.

"Uriah," she says.

"And I am sure You know how many years we've spent preparing for this?"

"But I think I could take you, I have trained a mere few weeks," I say before Peter can respond, Four opens the door and says, "Lynn." He beckons to her, and she walks down the hallway, the blue light at the end making her bare head glow. "So you're first," Will says to Uriah. Uriah shrugs. "Yeah. And?" "And you don't think it's a little unfair that you've spent your entire life getting ready for this, and we're expected to learn it all in a few weeks?" Will says, his eyes narrowing. "Not really. Stage one was about skill, sure, but no one can prepare for stage two," he says. "At least, so I'm told." No one responds to that. We sit in silence for twenty minutes. I count each minute on my watch. Then the door opens again, and Four calls another name. "Peter," he says. Each minute wears into me like a scrape of sandpaper. Gradually, our numbers begin to dwindle, and it's just me and Uriah and Tris. Tris's leg bounces, and Uriah's fingers tap against his knee, and I try to sit perfectly still. I hear only muttering from the room at the end of the hallway, and I suspect this is another part of the game they like to play with us.

The door opens again, this time Four calls a name I want to hear "Wyatt," he gave a rare smile beckoning me forward. Four touches my shoulder to guide me into the room and closes the door behind me. When I see what's inside, I recoil immediately, my shoulders hitting his chest. In the room is a reclining metal chair, similar to the one everyone sat in during the aptitude test. Beside it is a familiar machine. This room has no mirrors and barely any light. There is a computer screen on a desk in the corner. "Sit," Four says. He squeezes my arms and pushes me forward. "What's the simulation?" I say, trying to keep my voice from shaking. I don't succeed. "Ever hear the phrase 'face your fears'?" he says. "We're taking that literally. The simulation will teach you to control your emotions in the midst of a frightening situation." I touch a wavering hand to my forehead. Simulations aren't real; they pose no real threat to me, so logically, I shouldn't be afraid of them, but my reaction is visceral. It takes all the willpower I have for me to steer myself toward the chair and sit down in it again, pressing my skull into the headrest. The cold from the metal seeps through my clothes. "Do you ever administer the aptitude tests?" I ask. He seems qualified. "No," he replies.

"Why?" I asked as he grins at me "I tend to stay away from my old faction," his voice warm "Abnegation isn't that bad, but each Abnegation member has a different time there, I assume yours was horrible to not want to be around them," it was only logical.

Four, he has to move my hair to the side. He taps something, and I tilt my head back to see what it is. Four holds a syringe with a long needle in one hand, his thumb against the plunger. The liquid in the syringe is tinted orange. "An injection?" My mouth goes dry. I don't usually mind needles, but this one is huge. I remember going over some serums while in Erudite, some are, well they shouldn't be in the control of Mrs. Matthews. "We use a more advanced version of the simulation here," he says, "a different serum, no wires or electrodes for you."

"Dangerous?"

"Well, I have wires, so I can see what's going on," he says. "But for you, there's a tiny transmitter in the serum that sends data to the computer." He turns my arm over and eases the tip of the needle into the tender skin on the side of my neck.

A deep ache spreads through my throat. I wince and try to focus on his calm face. "The serum will go into effect in sixty seconds. This simulation is different from the aptitude test," he says. "In addition to containing the transmitter, the serum stimulates the amygdala, which is the part of the brain involved in processing negative emotions —like fear—and then induces a hallucination. The brain's electrical activity is then transmitted to our computer, which then translates your hallucination into a simulated image that I can see and monitor. I will then forward the recording to Dauntless administrators. You stay in the hallucination until you calm down—that is, lower your heart rate and control your breathing." I try to follow his words, but my thoughts are going haywire. I feel the trademark symptoms of fear: sweaty palms, racing heart, tightness in my chest, dry mouth, a lump in my throat, difficulty breathing. He plants his hands on either side of my head and leans over me. "Be Brave, Wyatt. You have nothing to worry about," he whispers. "The first time is always the hardest." His eyes are the last thing I see, he has dark blue eyes, calm and loving.

He said it was about heart rate, all I had to do was be calm, my heart rate would slow, deep breathes, deep breathes.

I stand…no, wait I am submerged in water, but I am standing it comes to a calm around my chest. I look around, I see nothing, no one. I move, that's when the waters picked up churning, white water hitting the hard rock, I was soaking now. But I wasn't scared of water. I look up seeing the walk way, I am in the freaking Chasm. I move my back pressing against a wet cold rock, tears coated my pale face.

I wasn't afraid to die…

"Don't do it,"

"I have to they will find me, kill me," I look up another time, I regret it the moment I do. Percy was over the railings, Eric was with him, I knew this wasn't true, Eric wasn't there when Percy died.

"NO!" I let loose a wild scream, something I have never done before, he looks down "Wyatt, no. You can't be down there, I got you baby. You always get yourself into trouble," then he jumped, his body dropping through the air until it went into the raging waters.

"Shit," I cling to the wet rock seeing Eric jumped in too, I hate them both. Percy can't swim, he can't swim. "Save her not me Eric," I watched as Percy went under as I was in Eric's arms.

"This isn't real! This is just in my head. This isn't real, none of this is real," a moment of clarity, rational thoughts filled my head as I watched the waters calm, Percy stood up "Wyatt you need to be safe, be good," he smiled, it was that smile that Cara fell in love with.

The sheer amount of emotional pain overwhelms me. I open my eyes, and I am sitting in the metal chair. I scream and cry, though I can still feel the spray of the white waters. I moan and pull my knees to my chest, burying my face in them. A hand touches my shoulder, and I fling a fist out, hitting something solid but soft. "Don't touch me!" I sob. "It's over, Wyatt," he says his voice low and soothing, he just continued to stroke my hair before pulling me to him, whispering small soothing words until I was able to stop the sobbing.

"Wyatt, I'm going to take you back to the dorms, okay?"

"No!" I snap. I lift my head and glare at him, though I can't see him through the blur of tears. "They can't see me…not like this…"

"Oh, calm down a little more," he says softly.

"I'll take you out the back door like I did for Tris," oh, god, Tris. I had to hurry and leave, but I was shaking.

"I don't need you to…" I shake my head. My body is trembling and I feel so weak I'm not sure I can stand, but I have to try. Even if they don't see me, they'll find out, they'll talk about me— "Nonsense." He grabs my arm and hauls me out of the chair. I blink the tears from my eyes, wipe my cheeks with the heel of my hand, and let him steer me toward the door behind the computer screen.

The hall is empty "I am failing," I say low but he scoffs "How fast do you believe you went through your first fear?" he asked as we walked. "Too long, maybe an hour," I groaned, I needed to think about what I was afraid of, learn techniques to overcome them.

"Try again, Wyatt. It was just over two minutes. I am concerned, I just want you to know that I won't let anything happen to you, I can fix the footage. But you need to be careful, you shouldn't be able to calm the chasm, it's the little things." His voice was low, our conversation was cut off when Eric and Rilee walked down the hall. I groaned, I was crying, my face paler than normal.

"What happened Four?" I heard Eric "Wyatt just finished her first fear," his voice still so calm, even with Eric standing next to him. "Oh Wyatt," his voice low.

"Is she?" he asked "Yes, and Tris too," my brother says as Rilee smiles at me "Well, then we need a game plan," Rilee said, his head was shaved he was covered in so many tattoo's, Eric pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Right, I will get in touch with some Erudite friends, she will have to be stopped before it goes any further. I need Cara to take over Erudite, she will be able to talk Kang into giving the truth serum up, Erudite needs purging. Max will kill them both before we could do anything, it has happened before. Four I had nothing to do with Amar's death, Percy died that same night, I wouldn't have let him die, I would have saved both if I could have. But they made sure I was indisposed, that's why I was so pissed seeing Wyatt here." Eric was turned towards Four his hand out, this was epic.

Four looked at Eric, you could see the wheels turning before he shook his offered hand "Then we make sure Tris and Wyatt don't get hurt, at any cost," Four said and by the tone of his voice, he meant at any cost.

"Wyatt talk to Tori, after my speech. Max is having me give a rather unnecessary speech about Drew and Molly," Eric says as Four places his hand on my back.

"I will talk to Frank; we will make sure these girls are watched by the right people. It isn't only Erudite that needs purging, my friends," Rilee smiled again.

"Correct, but for now Wyatt go back to the dorms talk to your friends, the Stiff mostly," I felt Eric's lips on my forehead "A little young for you?" Four cut in "No, just like the Stiff isn't too young for you," Eric laughed leaving us alone.

Now I wanted to be alone, with the look I was getting from Four "Trouble, nothing but trouble." But he smiled.


	14. Max takes a dirt nap

_**Hello fellow readers and nerds, here is another chapter of my fairly new story. I still own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners obviously. Thank yall for reading, please leave a review! (And check my polyvore for character pictures and outfits! Noellamonster)**_

Myra, Tris, Christina, and I started walking back to the dorms, the Pit was crawling with drunks; all having a good time and falling all over the place. "I swear a bunch of drunks," Christina laughed; the Chasm sprayed us with white water as we passed, Myra was nearly soaked now.

Most of the other initiates—Dauntless-born and transfer alike—are crowded between the rows of bunk beds with Peter at their center. He holds a piece of paper in both hands.

Dauntless born and transfers alike are arguing, looking angry as Peter reads from a newspaper "The mass exodus of the children of Abnegation leaders cannot be ignored or attributed to coincidence," he reads. "The recent transfer of Beatrice and Caleb Prior, the children of Andrew Prior, calls into question the soundness of Abnegation's values and teachings."

Erudite are attacking Tris's family, my home faction has become such a mess.

"Why else would the children of such an important man decide that the lifestyle he has set out for them is not an admirable one?" Peter continues. "Molly Atwood, a fellow Dauntless transfer, suggests a disturbed and abusive upbringing might be to blame. 'I heard her talking in her sleep once,' Molly says. 'She was telling her father to stop doing something. I don't know what it was, but it gave her nightmares.'" So this is Molly's revenge. She must have talked to the Erudite reporter that Christina yelled at, now Molly is dead.

"What?" Peter stops reading. Peter turns last, with a wide smile. "Give me that," I say, holding out my hand. My face burns. "But I'm not done reading," he replies, laughter in his voice. His eyes scan the paper again. "However, perhaps the answer lies not in a morally bereft man, but in the corrupted ideals of an entire faction. Perhaps the answer is that we have entrusted our city to a group of proselytizing tyrants who do not know how to lead us out of poverty and into prosperity." I made a solid hit to his back sending us into the beds, I punch, my anger reaching new heights. He hits me, but I don't give in as I rammed my knee into his groin, my small fist hitting his flesh.

"Come on Wyatt," it was Will, he was pulling me off "Whoever believes the trash Erudite prints is just as dimwitted as the man who wrote this filth. Erudite has become a festering shit hole, you didn't have to live there. Jeanine Matthews is aiming to take out all factions, where only she will have control. Plus, look at who the reporter talked to! A traitor, a Dauntless initiate who betrayed her new faction," I yelled a few looked worried, a few looked angry, a few other Erudites understood what I meant. Christina and Tris are at my side.

"Thank you," Tris's soft voice comes out "I will get you for this," I barely spared Peter a side long glare before he was running from the room.

"Let's go get a tattoo or a ring," I fumed as Tris was game, Chris was too; it was Will and Myra who were hesitant after our group Dauntless tattoo "Cara will toss a fit," he groaned as we headed back to the Pit. I was able to commandeer Tori after she walked from the back room "Hi, I wanted that Web of Wyrd we have talked about," I smiled when Rilee and Eric walked from the back.

"Hello," I smiled, Tris was at my side "Hello angel, I was just getting more ink done." Eric had some short of illness, I knew he did. "Oh, what have you had done?" Tris says helping me out.

He lifted his top, when he turned he had a shield maiden covering his entire back, with the words "Men are born warriors, but a woman in battle is truly bloodthirsty," scrawled between his massive shoulder blades. But the woman was a vision, her eyes, her face, her lips; the tattoo was such a work of art "Notice who it looks like," Rilee smiled at us.

"Wyatt," Christina said but kept her distance with Myra "Yeah, we have to go now," Eric blushed "Not a wise choice," Tori sat me in the chair, it smelled of Eric now. On my wrist was the web of wyrd, Tris got a similar one. But both Christina and Will got a new piercing, she got a septum piercing with hanging opals. Will got a simple black eyebrow bar with aquamarine jewels on each side, vertical of course. Myra got a tattoo as well, this was her first. Beautiful mauve red roses went below her collar bones diagonally and continued on her shoulders, they were surrounded by beautiful dark green leaves. Myra had only gotten piercings until now, she had black stud snake bites and gauged ears, those had black jewelry too. She was definitely more of an accessory girl.

We walked back through the Pit when we heard something in the training room "Should we?" Will asked us.

I started opening the door seeing Frank and Rilee each was playing an instrument; a guitar, and piano. I walked in staying by the walls, music was for the Amity. Tris, Myra, and Christina hurried in bumping me further into the wall, Will was the last in looking worried, I saw Uriah, Lynn, and Marlene leaning against the wall a few feet up. I felt Tris's hand braced on my side as we listened.

The way Rilee played the guitar was something new, it was different, definitely not Amity.

Frank had this amazing voice

"It was the garden of Eden  
The beginning of time  
Adam said to eve  
Little girl I wanna make you mine"

"Eve said now wait a minute  
Big boy  
Not so fast  
I wanna think this over  
I want a love that's gonna last"

"Then eve said to Adam  
Catch me if you can  
It's been the same old story  
Ever since the world began

Honey I'll give you anything  
In this great big world  
She said forget those rotten apples"  
"I'll take some diamonds and some pearls  
He said honey I don't quite know  
Exactly what you mean  
She said ever since she could remember  
She's had this pretty dream"

"Then eve said to Adam  
Catch me if you can  
It's been the same old story  
Ever since the world began"

"He said I got a hungry feelin'  
And my blood is runnin' hot  
I don't know what it is I want  
I just know it's something you got"

"Eve said come here little boy  
Come and sit beside my fire  
Wrap yourself around my finger  
And I'll cook your desire

Eve said look here Adam honey  
I got a reputation to protect  
If you want my love and kisses  
It's gonna take a little respect

Adam fell down on his knees  
And he looked up in the sky  
He said I think I get the picture lord  
There's more to all this than meets the eye"

"Then eve said to Adam  
Catch me if you can  
It's been the same old story  
Ever since the world began"

We just hid, listening the mixture of the guitar and piano as Frank sang, he must have done this so often to be so good. "How long are you guys going to hide?" was said; we all shuffled out as they smiled.

"This is our little secret," Rilee winked as he started playing, his fingers moving over the strings, it echoed off the walls. Christina, Myra, Lynn, and Marlene all dance around as Uriah, Will, and Tris look more hesitant, I was laughing. None of us could dance, music was almost forgotten now.

"My turn, come here Wyatt," Rilee smiled he placed me between him and his guitar, it felt a little wrong since I figured I liked Eric. But Rilee played moving his body into mine "Come on Wyatt, I know you can move that body," his voice light but tense.

"I got a hot rod ford

I got a line that can't miss

But you just pretend

Like I don't exist

I got that fever

For your sweet kiss

Honey lets be lovers

On a night like this

Don't you play too cool

Don't get too smart

Just give it what you got

Some like it hot

When I call you up on the telephone

And I know you're sittin'

Home all alone

I get that fire

Burnin' in my soul

Won't you let me in

To that heart of stone

Don't you play too cool

Don't get too smart

Just give it what you got

Some like it hot

I know that you're pretendin'

Don't you leave me in the cold

Just put your hand in my hand

On your mark get ready

Set go

Baby come right here

Don't you run away,"

He was good, if not better than Frank, Myra was dancing around him at the moment, he had this large grin as his eyes watched her. my body moved against Rilees' it was hard not to, music made you feel alive. I moved when only the piano played.

Rilee said "Wyatt," I turned as he spun me around we danced to the slower song, he sang "There was a time  
You had no need for rhythm  
Or rhyme  
And the world seemed so wild  
And so free  
You just wrapped yourself up  
In a dream  
All you had to do was believe  
And nothin' was out of your reach  
So sure how it all falls in line  
It's just a matter of time  
It's just a matter of time

Then you wake up one day  
All your dreams somehow  
Faded away  
The road that you followed  
I turned  
You can't find where the  
Fire once burned  
Can't look yourself straight  
In the eyes  
In your heart of hearts'  
You've compromised  
Baby one day we'll all cross  
That line  
It's just a matter of time" his voice mesmerized me, his smile as well, but I didn't feel anything for him.

"I suggest this little session stop," it was Max, he looked very angry with Elba by his side, her green hair clashing with her green eyes, we all stopped, I heard Rilee curse under his breath.

"Max we were just showing these soon to be members Dauntless could be fun as well," Frank smiled moving forward, in turn moving Tris, Lynn, and Myra behind him. Will and Uriah took the hint covering Christina and Marlene. A total of seven men walked in behind Max who turned giving them a small nod, they flanked him and Elba.

"It is time for you two to leave Dauntless, will you go and live factionless or shall we kill you both?" Max asked his voice so calm, it was dangerous.

"As if you would actually let us walk from Dauntless Max, we aren't stupid," Frank laughed but it was forced, he was sweating. "Jeanine said Wyatt was to live, and the Prior girl to be used against Abnegation. The rest can all die," Elba laughed.

"Like we would sit around and let you kill our friends you crazed bitch," I say moving from Rilee who wraps his arms around me holding me close "Your stupid brother was just as vocal and ignorant as you seem to be. He had to go," Max smiled as I felt the stinging of tears.

Everything happened at once, the door burst open with Zeke, Four, Eric, and another man. Rilee picked me up and ran "Stay right her sugar," he whispered running back into the fray, Max killed Percy. I moved when two huge men grabbed me, I struggled wrapping my legs around the man in front of me, around his thick neck, all my friends against the stone wall watching the fight.

I let out a scream as the other man took hold of my throat, struggling to pull me off of his choking friend. " _ **GET YOUR FUCKING PATHETIC HANDS OFF OF MY ANGEL!**_ " was roared from the beast himself as I started scratching and punching the man trying to pull me off, little did he know I was much stronger than I looked.

I kicked off the mans' friend, knocking him into the wall and causing the one holding me to stumble back, right into Eric's very muscled chest; although that probably wasn't something to be thinking about at this point in time.

Eric easily pulled me from his grasp and with one hit broke both his jaw and his pride. He fell to the floor like an abused doll. Before anything else he dug his double sided knife into both of their throats, blood spurted and poured from their dying bodies.

"My angel" he hugged me tightly, "Take your friends and run, now!" he ordered, but I was never very good at listening to him.

I snatched his knife and ran from him, my friends saw me and joined in using their training well; Myra and Lynn had knives and were working very well together. Four and Tris were teamed up, Marlene and Uriah, and Will and Christina. I was never more proud of them.

I saw Max and Elba trying to sneak out of the fight, Eric saw this too. Both of us went for them, he took Max and I took the psychotic clashing bitch that dared to try to kill the people I care for. I was an angel, but not now. Eric looked at me with a crazed hunger as he had Max bleeding on the floor.

I struggled against Elba, she was good at fighting but I was even better thanks to Percy and Eric. Her lip was busted and blood trailed down her chin. Like a coward she ran from the room, Max was trying his hardest to breathe with several broken ribs and Eric strangling him, watching happily as the life left his eyes.

"Elba" I called chasing her back down the hall, I was just so angry, it took control, these people killed Percy. I threw the knife I had taken from Eric, it lunged into the bend of her knee; slowing her and making her weaker, she couldn't escape now. I launched myself at her, my legs on her shoulders as I had her against the wall; she was trying to get me off by slamming herself against the wall but instead dug the knife deeper into her leg.

I used my weight as a tool, throwing myself over her but making sure my legs held tight onto her. She screamed as she flipped and went flailing onto her stomach. I gripped her hair and yanked her head back, wrenching the knife from her leg, blood now poured down her jean cover legs.

"Elba" I sighed, this wasn't how I would normally act, as I held the knife against her neck, blood starting to appear where the blade slowly dug into a very sensitive and vital area.

"Please!" she shrieked, "I'll do anything!"

"Oh yeah? I bet you would. You are not dauntless, you are a pathetic and useless play thing of Jeanine's. After she got whatever she wanted she would inject you, use you as some lifeless piece of shit, you would be used to kill and be killed."

"No!" she screamed, "She was making me her second in command, making me an even more powerful leader!"

"Well, guess what sweetheart…you were lied to and played by an insane crown." I made a slashing motion, her blood spurted and covered the wall and the stone floor.

I stood, finally seeing the beast himself watching me with lustful eyes. He strode towards me, lifting me and pinning me against the wall. My legs wrapped around him as his lips came down on mine, rough and passionate, making me yearn for so much more. His hands gripping my ass rather roughly, his hot wet mouth moving down my neck as he bit and sucked bruised marks onto me.

"We need…we need to go back" I moaned, "We have to fight, we have to make sure everyone is okay!" my legs were shaking as I bit down on his shoulder hoping to catch his attention but instead he groaned and tore off my shirt. His rough kisses covering my breasts. "Eric!"

"Um…. guys?" it was Myra and Lynn, both red in the face. "They want you back, you guys can finish this later." Lynn laughed as Myra turned an even deeper shade of red. "And here, Lynn turned and quickly took off her loose fitting shirt, revealing a tighter one. Myra instinctively covered her she flung that off and slipped back on the one she was comfortable one.

This shirt looked very similar to mine. Eric let me down and helped me put on the shirt.

"I got Elba, she's dead." My voice was odd sounding and everything felt surreal.

"They're all dead…" Myras' soft voice drifted through the stale air, blood covered quite a bit of the floor. Panic struck me as I looked at all of the faces of the people alive, Eric's hands were holding me steady.

"You're all okay…" I breathed a sigh of relief, tears soaking my face as I tightly hugged all of them. "Oh, I was so worried. I can't lose any of you…not like this, not again.

Eric hugged me to his chest, whispering the kindest words I've heard uttered from him. Maybe he wasn't as bad as I had been thinking…


	15. Peter tells the truth for once

_**Hello fellow readers of the fanfiction, here is new chapter for my story. I still own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Go to my polyvore to see outfits and character pictures Noellamonster. Thank you and please leave a review!**_

I lay in my bed sometime later, we all had minor injuries from the fight, we knew to keep our mouths shut. I couldn't believe I acted in such a way, it was adrenaline, and anger; every emotion came in a tidal wave. Then not to mention my own behavior with Eric, I can't look at him right now, Lynn and Myra as well. Tris felt the same way, her emotions took over when it came down to it. Her goal was to protect her friends and Four, as was my own personal goal. I have at least made Percy proud, but as Four and Eric said we have a shit storm coming, Jeanine was behind all of this, she wouldn't stop now until we all paid for putting a dent in her flawed plan.

I hear Christina snoring, and Tris's light rustling under her covers, Myra slept like the dead but she went to bed early and rose early as well. I turned not able to sleep, but I knew sleep was coming all the same, my eyes heavy with it.

I woke, wasting no time in dressing, Myra was also up she was sent from god, she braided my hair it was as she called it an inside out braid with a braided strand adorning the front. It was nice, she walked over to Christina as I was waking Tris, Christina grumbled as Myra was holding her arm close "Get up Tris," I whisper she wakes easy, we wait as the girl's dress. Peter was watching us with careful eyes, as we talked together.

Soon enough we left the dorms, we had more fears to face today, something I wasn't looking forward to. Loud voices came from the right tunnel; one I knew very well.

I moved a little faster but our timing was horrible "Hello Wyatt," it was Mrs. Matthews along with Nino and my mother in tow all typing on their pads.

"Hello Mrs. Matthews, you look lovely today," I smiled moving slightly in front of Tris. "Thank you darling. You have grown, you look so strong," she smiled taking my hand into hers as Eric arrived.

"Mother they need to go," his voice was gruff. "How is Wyatt doing, son?" she asked. "She is ranked number one at this time, she is doing very well," he gave me a dirty look but I knew it was all for show, we had never really gotten along.

"Eric, I am expecting you to be nice to young Wyatt. You need to grow up, son. Your mother is so proud of you, I know I am," I smiled.

"Thank you Mrs. Matthews, it means so much to me that I have earned such a privilege. But as for my mother, I doubt she is, as she has refused to see me on visiting day, and now she has ignored me. I must be going, another learning experience is coming," this was something she understood, learning was very important.

"Interesting, I never very much thought there was any learning going on here." She mused as we walked, Eric was eyeing me. "Yes, you have to learn so many things, some barbaric but useful. You learn to face your fears, to fight, to maneuver around with a gun. And much more," we entered the Pit.

"Mother we have to go now," Eric intervened again "Yes, son. Wyatt I am very proud of you. Please be careful, Max and his group where killed last night, we are looking into it, but have no solid leads." Her hand touched my shoulder sending cold shivers up my spine.

"That is very unpleasant, I will make sure I am on guard from now on. Max seemed so nice, I can't imagine someone wanting to hurt him," my face contorted with sadness, an emotion I learned to act out but control at the same time. She gave me a kiss to the forehead before they departed, and we hurried to the dining hall "I swear that woman, is a snake in the grass." I vent as we sit starting to eat.

"She seems a lot like her son," Tris said taking a nibble of her toast "Yes, she wasn't good to Eric in the least. But she rubbed off on him more than his father who is still very Dauntless."

"Jeanine, always takes a very special interest in any faction transfer or Erudite born with a high IQ. I was her favorite, Cara always tried to intervene when she could, keep Jeanine away from influencing me too much. She never was very interested in Will but Cara was high in her ranks too. Erudite isn't a very great place to grow up," I say now my tone low as Will and a few other sat with us, the hall filling up.

"Yeah but screw them, you're Dauntless now. You sure acted Dauntless last night," Lynn smirked her arm around Myra, I felt the heat rising as I bolted towards her "That's it Lynn," she was fast, I watched her hauling ass towards Zeke who she used as a shield.

"No fighting over me now ladies, I am a taken man," he smiled "Oh something tells me Wyatt has her hands full already," Lynn retorted as I flicked her ear. "Come on we have training still," but we sat down going back to eating.

"Tori said come talk to her later," whispered Tris "Finally," I murmured around my apple. "You think Jeanine will catch on to us being involved, Peter is uncomfortably close." I turned seeing Jeanine, mother, and Nino talking with Frank, Rilee, and Eric, Four was next to Zeke talking, their eyes darting to us every few minutes.

"If so we will deal with it, if not we still deal with it. We can't let Jeanine gain that much control, we just can't," I remember Erudite, at times I would walk through the long white halls, at certain times hearing gut wrenching screams, Jeanine would have them strapped to the tables, injecting them over and over. Now I know she was testing on Divergents. I assumed to find out what made us who we are, how our brains worked. I turned seeing Rilee his eyes boring into mine, he moved his head just a fraction of an inch, but I understood.

"Up now, we need to go," I stood, Peter was behind me "You know I saw you last night in that room, dancing with Rilee," he smiled.

"Oh no, I have been caught, dancing," I laughed making his face go redder "Yeah, the same room all those men died, Elba and Max too," I laughed harder.

"Oh cute, you think or hoped I did it. Can you see me taking on Max, he weighs triple me, Rilee and I would have been slaughtered you, prick," Peter was easily angered as Rilee watched, I sighed, he wanted us out of here.

Peter shoved me back, Uriah and Will running over "Wrong move," I moved forward with enough force, my shoulder connecting to his ribs sending us into the table food flying, my knee's dug into his shoulders pinning him down. I punched him, he cursed when I felt warms hands lifting me clear off the ground.

"What seems to be the issue here, Angel," Jeanine says her voice cold as Frank let me go, my feet hit the ground "He has miscalculated in his words, he thought it wise to accuse me of something. Something I wasn't party too," I straighten up.

"It is true; I don't know how but it is. She and Rilee were all over each other in the very same room Max and his group were killed in," Peter yelled.

Eric looked beyond angry "Yes I was with Rilee; we were in that room. I didn't feel we were all over each other. As tragic and barbaric as their deaths are, and the loss too Dauntless. I wasn't party to any of it, I take it as a personal blow that he accused me of such a travesty," I see Jeanine judging us both, I was so very used to this, she was very good at it as well.

It was minutes later, my friends gone, it was best this way. I waited for her to speak as Peter cursed under his breath. "It is unfortunate we feel we must lie, that we need to be in the spotlight for such a disgusting display. I have faith that I am correct, since I have never been wrong yet. I would like this young man disciplined for this, we all know if Wyatt and Rilee were responsible they wouldn't be here. Two couldn't have taken on such a large well trained number. Wyatt my angel, I am sorry for the accusation, I would also like to speak with you soon," she smiled her fingertips brushing my face.

"Why are you even here, Erudite doesn't belong here," Peter spat, I wanted to laugh but kept the cold stone facial expression. "Young man, you will learn to show respect. I am sure you already know why I am here, Erudite works closely with Amity and Dauntless and after such a brutal attack we thought it best to lend a helping hand, you may go now," she actually shooed him away like a cat.

"Why were you with my daughter?" mother asked her eyes narrowed as she gazed at Rilee "That really is none of your concern ma'am. She is very much allowed to be with whomever she likes," he was too cocky as Eric was foaming at the mouth, his nostrils flaring.

"Well, I look forward to our conversation Mrs. Matthews. But I have interrupted your meeting, and my trainer will have my ass if I fail to show up," I smiled "Yes, of course. I am very sorry Angel, Eric we are leaving, please walk Wyatt to her trainer, the man with a numeric number for a name if I am correct. I rather her not be in any trouble," yeah this could get worse.

"Yes mother, and yes his name is Four," Eric basically growled out, I was ready to bolt to my brother, a natural protection instinct. Jeanine, and the rest left us.

I hurried away, Rilee was able to defend himself, but he was right behind me "So Wyatt, what were you doing with Rilee?" he asked, my feet picking up the pace.

"Eric, we were dancing. It was nothing," I say my tone annoyed "How close," it wasn't a question he was demanding an answer.

"Eric, you need to calm down. Rilee and I were just dancing, yes it was very close but it was nothing," I say when I hear a loud crash, when I turn Eric is already down the tunnel, 'run Rilee' is all that goes through my mind….


	16. We gon chitchat

_**Hello fellow fanfiction readers and writers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As you all should know I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. For character pictures and outfits make sure to check my polyvore Noellamonster. Thanks for reading and please leave a review!**_

I stand with Will and Christina at the railing overlooking the chasm, it was late at night after most of the Dauntless have gone to sleep. Both my shoulders sting from the tattoo needle. We all got new tattoos a half hour ago. Tori was the only one in the tattoo place, so I felt safe getting the symbol of Erudite—a large single blue eye that represents knowledge bound by a circle—on my right shoulder. I know it was a risk, especially after all that's happened. But that symbol is a part of my identity, and it felt important to me that I wear it on my skin. I step up on one of the barrier's crossbars, pressing my hips to the railing to keep my balance. I look down for a minute thinking of Percy, the way he used to smile at me, hug me close when he felt I need it.

Then I feel the guilt eating at me, after he left I was so mad, so hurt I never came to his visiting day's like my mother. I would just cry in my room, after the first two years he started sending letters by night, we made up but I still couldn't face him after he hurt me. I was so selfish thinking only of my hurt my own pain, I knew it hurt him to leave, but he always did what was best.

"Are you okay Wyatt?" it was Will as I turned back seeing Myra, Tris and Christina looking at me worried.

"I guess. Old thought coming back, how I was so hurt and selfish, for years I wouldn't come to Percy's visiting day. We made up after two years, he started sending letters but I never came, I wrote back but couldn't face him, I was so dependent on him and he left me there with her. Now I can't tell him how sorry I really am, he died four years after coming here. Right here where we stand. But he didn't do it himself, Max did it. Percy was so happy with Shauna, I am glad she is better and with Zeke, but it's the what if's that fill my mind," I whisper as Christina hands me a newspaper, on the front page is Jeanine, not smiling.

"He knows, those that leave us have a way of knowing things like this." Tris put her arm around me "My mom said once that growing up in Erudite is hard, how most but not all don't show real emotions. Everything is so calculated," Myra sat on the floor looking up at us.

"She is right, my mother and sister show their emotions like they do their brains. But others like Mrs. Matthews and Miss. Tomlin they have none, if they do it is greed and lust for power. You have to have a very tough skin to grow up there," Will ripped his paper up tossing it over the Chasm.

"Crazy," was all Christina uttered. Will and Christina share a lot of idle touches lately. I've noticed it. Have they?

"Well I think I want to put Peter's hand in a bowl of warm water to make him pee tonight." I smile, getting down after we finish tearing papers up, feeling a little better. I turn away from the chasm and see movement on the right side of the Pit, I bump Tris nodding up, her eyes move. Two figures climb toward the glass ceiling, and judging by one of them the smooth way he walks, like his feet barely leave the ground, I know it is Four. The other has a bigger build, he moves with a more stalking his pray movement I know it's Eric. "That sounds great, but I have to talk to Four about something," I say, pointing toward the shadow ascending the path. Her eyes follow my hand "I do as well, we will meet you guys in the dorm," Tris adds as we move away from our friends.

I turn back seeing Myra gone but I see Christina and Will walk toward the dormitories, Christina tousling Will's hair and Will jabbing her in the ribs. For a second, I watch them. I feel like I am witnessing the beginning of something new, something forever.


	17. Fears

_**Hello fellow fanfiction readers and writers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope you all will enjoy. I still don't own anything except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Check my polyvore for outfits and character pictures Noellamonster. Thank you for reading and please leave a review!**_

We hurry along the pathway, heading towards the two men heading for the 'Fear rooms'. We initiates had decided to name it that. We had to be silent, there are still Dauntless traitors running around, Eric said he would fix it, but could he?

Rilee was fine, Eric either never found him or he convinced Eric nothing happened.

Eric and Four stop outside the two rooms talking, we have never used the second room since only Four was doing the actual testing. "Stop hiding little devil," his deep voice chimed, Tris shook her head "Think you could give Rilee a chance he seems normal," she smiled again.

"Yeah I think Eric might off us both if I tried," we moved from behind the wall "We weren't hiding," I scoffed walking with Tris, she made sure to stick close to my brother, who didn't look to mind at all.

"Wyatt, come on. Four you take the stiff," Eric said, his deep voice always had the hint of controlled anger, the threat always lingering. Eric was dressed in all black, his shirt had no sleeve's, his very muscular arms showing, I rather liked his tattoo's even his multiple facial rings.

I wasn't sure about poking holes into my face, but I was going to be drilling ink into my pale skin soon. It was cold, I should have worn my jacket, my crop top was showing my now toned belly. Eric holds a black box in one hand and a syringe in the other.

"Since you're here," he says, without looking over his shoulder, "You might as well go in with me." this was a little new, he was never this accepting of someone seeing his weaknesses.

I bite my lip; glad he isn't looking at me seeing my indecision. "Into your fear landscape?"

"Yes." His voice flat.

I walk toward him, as I ask, "I can do that?"

"The serum connects you to the program," he says, "but the program determines whose landscape you go through. And right now, it's set to put us through mine." This was very intriguing to say the least.

"You would let me see that?" this was very un-Eric like.

"Why else do you think I'm going in?" he asks quietly. He doesn't lift his eyes. "There are some things I want to show you." He holds up the syringe, and I tilt my head to better expose my neck. I feel sharp pain when the needle goes in, but I am used to it now. When he's done, he brushes his thumb across the small pin dot aching mark before he offers me the black box. In it is another syringe.

"I've never done this before," I say as I take it out of the box. I don't want to hurt him, at least right now.

"Right here," he says, touching a spot on his neck with his finger. I stand on my tiptoes and barely push the needle in, my hand shaking a little. He doesn't even flinch. He keeps his eyes on me the whole time, and when I'm done, puts both syringes in the box and sets it by the door. He knew that I would follow him up here. Knew, or hoped. Either way is fine with me.

He offers me his hand, and I slide mine into it. His hands are warm and strong as if they could crush mine. I feel like there is something I should say, but I am too stunned and can't come up with any words. He opens the door with his free hand, and I follow him into the dark. I am now used to entering unknown places without hesitation. I keep my breaths even and hold firmly to Eric's hand. Because I know he will protect me, even though now I don't need it anymore.

"I will show you some, we don't have time for all. I don't know how they will manifest, the order is always different. I used to have twelve fears, then I had eight, now I have nine. Don't interfere, talk but never jump in," he says.

The door clicks shut behind us, taking all the light with it. The air is cold in the hallway; I feel each particle enter my lungs. I inch closer to him so my arm is against his and my head is near his shoulder. His body heat warming mine. The simulation takes us. The ground I stand on is no longer made of cement. It creaks like metal. Light pours in from all angles, and the city unfolds around us, glass buildings and the arc of train tracks, and we are high above it. I haven't seen a blue sky in a long time, so when it spreads out above me, I feel the breath catch in my lungs and the effect is dizzying.

We are in a room; it is in Erudite. A gathering room where we had debates. He removes his hand from mine and wraps his arm around my shoulders instead. At first I think it's to protect me—but no, he's having trouble breathing and he needs me to steady him. He forces breath in and out through an open mouth he knows what is going to happen.

"Eric," I question when the door opens, why did Eric fear his own mother? His eyes narrow, I notice his breathing, he was able to calm enough for the simulation to move forward. Now multiple people walk in my own mother included, I don't see Cara or his father.

Eric watches his mother with cold, dark menacing eyes "Again, you have shown you don't have the fortitude nor IQ to be placed in Erudite. All you crave from your father and myself is affection. Where will that get you Eric?"

Eric stands taller, but his mother just stares down at him her gray eyes devoid "I am-" but something breaks inside him as his words come out as a mere mush of words.

"Your charm and good looks have obviously made an impression on her. Unfortunately, when she looks passed the work you have put into your physical appearance, she will see the real you. Cold, cruel, manipulative, abusive. You have no real emotions, son. She will see the dunce you have now become," now everyone was laughing at Eric, he is so much more than that, smart, and caring.

I still cling to Eric "You're not Erudite anymore, walk up to her and punch her in the face," I push him, his dark eyes bore into mine. "You are nothing like what she says, your smart, sweet, and very caring, you need to let go of your past," I whisper now, he left me in that spot as he walked right up to his mother who was laughing.

"I have had enough, I am not you," he grabbed her before shoving her to the floor, the laughter stopped as if it was cut by a knife. She looked up from the floor "Not very Erudite of you," her voice broke.

"I am Dauntless," everything became a blur of color now, I felt his arms around me once again as everything settled. We are in Dauntless now.

I see Elba, Frank, Rilee, and Max with Eric standing at the head of the long table, all look deep in thought "We have all decided to remove you from your current post Eric. We all feel you are too weak for being a dauntless leader, you can't manage to aid us, nor aid your mother to purge our world of the Divergents. You are weak, you can't maintain any control. You let the Candor girl live, then you let another little Candor bitch live after she made you seem weaker during knife tossing."

He was afraid of ridicule, Weakness or looking weak. This wasn't very surprising, he has done this many times before, his breathing was starting to even out "This isn't real, we can change it." I say when he looks down "There lays the real problem, when you do your final test, many will be watching. You must learn to face any fear as a Dauntless, not Erudite, not a fucking Divergent." He says.

"You had to have known Percy was different, he knew, he tried to hide it with Amar. But of course we knew after some time, you had to have known, or maybe you didn't care an emotion you are so scared of, Eric," Elba laughed but Eric looked horrified.

I never saw the blade in his hand, he had to be faster than any knew, two lay dead at his feet as Rilee and Frank stand, ready to fight. I moved to step in when it changed my head spinning now.

Now I was in Rilees arms, his own blade at my throat. I felt it, felt the blood dripping down my chest "I would rethink your next move Eric, or do you think you can save her before I cut this bitches throat. Eric was impulsive, he was looking for a way, but he didn't move, he set the blade on the chasm floor.

"Just let her go, Rilee. I will do whatever you want," Eric breathed I felt Rilee let me go "Hurry back to him," this wasn't Rilee, he wouldn't ever hurt me.

I knew deep down it was about to happen, I was tossed over the railing of the Chasm a shrill scream, I clung to the lowest railing as Eric, dear god he ripped out his juggler blood spurted everywhere.

I wanted to scream, this wasn't real, I wasn't about to die but his hand grasped mine lifting me with ease "This has been the first time, the very first I have been able to save you." He smiled, his eyes had a little life to them now.

"One more tonight," I held him close closing my eyes "Open them," he breathed his warm breath smelling of coffee. We are in his apartment, it's dark "This is my new fear," his voice deep but low.

Nothing happens, we stand here "This fear is different, you're here. It is normally you sleeping in my bed, my fear, Wyatt, is you. What I feel for you, falling in love. It will make me weaker, I can't love you like you deserve," his honestly was enough to stop the simulation, he had to have preset it for this number of fears, as we stand close together in the dark.

My arms are fine now, my neck has no mark but still his finger brush over the, checking to make sure I am still unhurt. "You got me through it," he says finally.

"Well." My throat is dry. I try to ignore the nervous electricity that pulses through me every second he touches me. "It's easy to be brave when they're not my fears."

I let my hands drop and casually wipe them on my jeans, hoping he doesn't notice.

If he does, he doesn't say so. He laces his fingers with mine.

I know being with Eric is hard, he isn't wired like normal people, neither am I but he isn't Divergent, he is nearly fearless, he has no real emotions.

"Come on, there is another thing I want to show you," his fingers laced between mine we walked away, away from his fears.


	18. Kissing and a big fuck you

_**Hello fellow fanfiction readers and writers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. I still don't own anything except new character and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see outfits and character pictures go check my polyvore Noellamonster. Thanks for reading, please leave a review!**_

"Twelve fears than, nine now," I say, I see her nodding. "They haven't changed, so I keep going in there, but…I still haven't made any progress. Or in my mind I haven't. It went down to eight and then shot up to nine,"

"You can't be fearless, remember?" she says her face soft. "Because you still care about things. About your life. You're not as cold, but pretty cold." She gave me a small smile.

"I know." I say as we walk along the edge of the Pit on a narrow path that leads to the rocks at the bottom of the chasm. She has never noticed it before—it blended in with the rock wall. But I know it well. I don't want to ruin the moment.

"You were going to tell me about your aptitude test results," she says.

"Ah." I scratch the back of my neck with my free hand. "Does it matter?" I ask her.

"Yes. I want to know." She gave another nudge for me to answer. My voice stern as I look down on her. "How demanding you are. You haven't changed much Wyatt," I flash her a smile.

"If you want to know mine then you'll have to tell me yours first." The devil inside of her was showing. We reach the end of the path and stand at the bottom of the chasm, where the rocks form unsteady ground, rising up at harsh angles from the rushing water. I lead her up and down, across small gaps and over angular ridges. My shoes cling to the rough rock, her hand in mine made life so much better.

The soles of her boots mark each rock with a wet footprint. I find a relatively flat rock near the side, where the current isn't strong, and sit down, my feet dangling over the edge. She sits beside me. She seems comfortable here, inches above the hazardous water. She releases my hand. I look at the jagged edge of the rock. "These are things I don't tell people, you know. Not even my friends," I say. I lace my fingers together and clench. The roar of the chasm ensures that we won't be overheard. I don't know why the thought makes me so nervous. "My result was as expected," I say.

"Erudite"

"Oh." Something inside me deflates at her remark, did she think I had another result, or did she hope? And technically, but she also got an Erudite result—according to the private information Cara gave me.

"But you chose Dauntless anyway?" I hear her say, her eyes boring into mine when I face her.

"I already knew about three years prior, it was my faction. I just had to wait until my day," it was the truth, she frowned at me.

"I came only to help Will, and find out who killed Percy. Now Max is dead, Percy is avenged, Will is doing great. I don't think I fit in very well, here in Dauntless," her voice is so soft, like I might get mad she feels this way, and I was a tad pissed.

"But you're…incredible," I say. I pause and clear my throat. "I mean, by Dauntless standards. You have five fears, same as the Stiff, pretty badass," I pulled her closer to me, feeling her body relax into mine.

"Once Percy wrote me and told me about the Fear landscape, some things I knew before coming. Face your fears, right." She winked, Percy would ignore the world and write her once or twice a week. I still remember him waiting on visiting day, only seeing Cara and his mother. Wyatt could hold a grudge, that was for sure.

I take her face in my hands, my fingers strong against her pale skin, I need to kiss her again, firmer this time, more certain. She wrapped an arm around me, sliding her hand up my neck, over the shaved sides into my short hair. For a few minutes we kiss, deep in the chasm, with the roar of water all around us. And when we rise, hand in hand, I realize that if we had both chosen differently, we might have ended up doing the same thing, in a safer place, in blue clothes instead of black ones.

 _ **Wyatt's p.o.v**_

I see Tris in the dorm, she seems so light a smile graced her face as her eyes are bright "What happened?" I asked as we walked from the dorm together we needed to talk.

"He showed me his fears, then we talked. Well your brother, umm… we kissed," she blushed but her smile told me everything, as I hugged her "Practically sisters," I smiled back.

"What about Eric?" she gave me a questioning look "It was a scary ride going through his fears, we walked to the bottom of the Chasm, I will have to show you. We talked and kissed as well," I smiled as she giggled.

"He can protect you, guess he isn't Satan," I scoffed "He is,"

"Four can't let people find out about you two, we still have issues here. Same for Eric and I," her face fell, damn it. I let my hair hang loose while Tris abandoned her uniform of loose shirts in favor of one that cuts across her shoulders, revealing her tattoos. "What is it with you today?" says Christina on the way to breakfast. I roll my eyes as Tris smiles at her "Oh, you know," she says.

"Sun shining. Birds chirping." Christina raises an eyebrow at me, as if reminding me that we are in an underground tunnel and Tris has lost it.

"Let the girl be in a good mood," Will says. "You may never see it again." I smack his arm and hurry toward the dining hall. I sit down in my usual place, next to Tris and Uriah, with Will and Christina across from us. Four walks in as I caught Tris' arm before she waved to him.

"Be careful, Tris. We have others watching us. Like Peter," I snap now, the girl has it bad but now I watch Eric come in sitting with Rilee and Frank, he doesn't look over at me, as I hiss.

"Goes both ways," Tris grinned as I punched her arm. I looked up seeing Eric smiling as his ex-walked up planting a very firm kiss to his lips, behind him I see his mother, who waves me over.

"Dead, he is dead. I will be back," I moved over to them as Eric spoke up "We have Erudite here to look around we are having some updated technology, go about your business." His eyes on mine, his face fell knowing I saw it.

"Wyatt my dear, I am so proud," I smiled puffing my chest out "Thank you Mrs. Matthews. I like taking everything as a learning experience," she gave me a firm nod as her eyes fell on the girl at her son's side.

"What is this, Eric," her voice firm, her watery gray eyes calculating this girl before her "I am his girlfriend," she smirked, I wasn't enjoying this, when he put his arm around her as well.

"Oh really," I tried to control it when I felt an arm come around my waist, I saw peripheral vision it was Rilee "I take it you're Wyatt's male friend," Jeanine was smiling now looking at us.

"Yes, Mrs. Matthews. Myself and this angelic creature started dating a few days ago," he smiled holding his hand to her, I was surprised when she took the offered hand "A good firm hand shake," she smiled.

Eric looked ready to kill "I must go finish eating, we have more to do today and I will need my energy," I speak up as Mrs. Matthews looks at Eric's friend or girlfriend.

"I have a meeting Angel, I will see you after," Rilee smirked pulling me close "Meet me in the training room after you eat," he whispered before his lips touched mine, all for show, is all I could think. But oh damn, his kissing was so intense, so warm and loving when we pulled away he always looked flustered.

I hurried away now, once in my seat, Tris looked ready to faint as well "Oh damn girl," Christina laughed as I tossed an apple slice at her head. "Eric is pissed," Tris nudged me as I ate. My eyes moved to his as Rilee was further away with Frank blocking him, but Eric was staring right at me, his face red. I moved my eyes to the girl next to him than back before standing up. I gave a nod to Zeke and Four as I left to the training room with my muffin.

"Fucking wait, don't you fucking try and walk away," it was Eric as I turned "What do you want Eric, in fact I don't care. We aren't dating, but since you let girls hang on you, kiss you, you holding them. Fuck you, just fuck you, stay away from me I should have known better than to fall for you." He just stared at me.

"Please Wyatt, please don't," his voice vulnerable now "No, your actions have consequences. I understood we had to hide everything about us, but for to do that was wrong. It hurt, please just leave me alone. Rilee was just giving you a taste of your own medicine. So tell me, how did it feel Eric!?" I screamed leaving him standing there alone as I walked to the training room, Rilee was waiting.

"Hey there, everyone has a part to play. He should have discussed this much sooner. Come here, no more crying," his arms out and I needed a hug, so I launched myself into them, feeling him wrap them around me.


	19. Jack Kang: a very attractive man

_**Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is a new chapter of my story for you guys. As per usual I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. Check my polyvore for character outfits and pictures Noellamonster. Thank you all so much for reading and please leave a review!**_

I have tried to avoid Eric, but again he has been making life hard on his quest to get me alone to have words with me. I was lucky that Four and Rilee have been more than willing to help me out with this. It has been two days, soon our time as initiates will be at a close. "Come on its lunch time," Tris snapped her fingers in front of my face gaining my attention.

We were training on our free days, Christina had to run back to our dorm for more eyeliner, had to impress Will at every turn. "Sorry was thinking,"

"I could tell, come on I'm starving," Myra whined dragging me from the bed "I am coming," I took Tris's hand as we girls made our way into the Pit, it was crawling with activity today, some fighting for fun. Some laughing and drinking, which wasn't very logical, kids running and screaming while they played, this was just one large dysfunctional family structure.

Four was sitting with Zeke and Shauna, he glanced up flashing a smile to Tris and I, nothing new. We took our normal seats, Uriah, Marlene, and Lynn with us now, Peter, as normal, was sitting with Gage in a secluded back table. "To your left, Trouble," I swear how did that become my nickname.

But still I glance seeing Rilee heading my way with a bright smile "Cupcake," he says taking a seat next to me. "Hi Rilee, so you here to piss off Eric some more?" Myra asked with her own bright smile.

"Of course, plus come on Wyatt is hot," he winked causing me to blush crimson. "Yeah man you have a death wish, Eric is foaming at the mouth." Will laughed taking a large bite of his sandwich.

"Got to take risks," Rilee had this easy going personality, he was also very smart. "Yeah but again a fine line between brave and reckless," Tris added his eyes flicker to Eric, but I don't look I can imagine how his face looks.

"True," Rilee grinned as I ate "So Wyatt," he began when Frank walked up "We have an issue, come now," he gave us a smile but they left rather fast as I turned looking at Four, he was looking at our leaders leaving in a haste.

Most of Dauntless was watching now "Come on let's finish eating before going back to training," Lynn announced out loud we all agreed but it was lingering in our minds something was going on.

Soon after we found ourselves in the training room, I was helping Myra as Tris was learning from Uriah. Rilee told me I was still ranking number one with Tris in second, then Uriah, Lynn, and Will. But that's all he said on that. I flipped Myra over my back, her own body slamming into the floor "This is wrong, I just can't learn this," she screamed her legs kicking out.

"You will give it time, I had a minor concussion before I learned," I offered her my hand which she took. My mind wasn't fully in the training, Eric had in a very loud voice during dinner cursed and yelled at a girl until she left crying, their fake shit was done, but still I couldn't look at him.

"Fine let's go again," she said more confident this time "Okay, this time be a little more cautious," I say as I move closer to her. Uriah had Tris pinned to the hard floor when I dropped Maya, Uriah make a jerking motion as my legs locked around his chest cutting off his breathing. "This is what you get for hurting Tris," Lynn, Marlene, and Chris laughing as Will looked horrified.

The doors opened and Rilee was there his face pale "Wyatt, come on, you too Tris. The rest go to your dorms now," he barked picking me up from the floor with one swift movement. This wasn't like him, something was indeed wrong.

So Tris and I followed Rilee, his normal relaxed face was contorted in rage as he turned left. Frank and Four are waiting at the end of the long hallway, at least Four was there because this was very uncomfortable. The tension just from Rilee alone was wary, I was nervous now.

"In here," Four said with his hands on the small of Tris back, she held my hand firmly in hers. "What is going on Four?" she gave my brother a look, pleading for answers.

"You will find out right now," it was Eric he was at the head of the table "Close the doors," his voice deep and firm as Frank did just that, Rilee wrapped his arms around me.

'Enough from you Rilee, she isn't yours," Eric, he was so driven by his own anger "I am also not yours, Eric," I say now, my voice light and soft making him look at me "I fucked up, I should have told you. I didn't want my mother's focus to be on you, but it already was. But right now we have bigger issues, two ex-Dauntless members came back in hopes the information gathered would put them back in my good graces. I asked for you two ladies and Four since these matters affect you, Wyatt your real mother her name is Evelyn, right now she is working with my own, Four has known for a little while, she turned coat on the factionless. She has been giving them injections for sickness; in turn it is killing them. Cara said there is no cure, we can't waste any more time on them. In the next month they will all be dead, the woman, men, and sadly the children. Cara and her own loyal crew have been trying for months to find a cure, they have failed." This was something bad if Cara wasn't able to find a cure, we Erudite thrived off learning and creating. Eric took a deep breath.

"My mother and your own, the both of them want the factions to cease, they both want power. We have eliminated the real threat here in Dauntless, there is some lingering but it is nearly gone. Erudite is our problem, Candor, Amity, and Abnegation are suffering because of this. We have to take action, we have a month before they start their final preparations, if we fail they take over and the power is theirs. All Divergents will be tested on then killed, so we can't fail. Now understand this, to get this information we had to let Al and Edward back in, they escaped Evelyn. Tris and Wyatt we wouldn't have done this if we had another choice," Eric gave us each a look.

"Hey now, no worries," Rilee says his breath so close to my ear "Rilee I will kill you," Eric boomed out, his hands slamming against the table.

"Listen this isn't the time to be fighting over my sister, we have bigger issues. But my sister can choose who she wants," Four chimed in his voice low but full of authority.

"We have to come up with a reason they have come back," Frank says now that was a real issue.

"How about a real plan, a plan to ensure we don't lose all we hold dear. One, we need to fully clear Dauntless, it needs a purge. To do so we need Candor, we need their Truth Serum. Next, you leaders are the first to be tested, then each member of Dauntless. Then Al and Edward, last we alert Dauntless of the oncoming problem. They should know the truth because it is coming down to war, Erudite, Eric will use every ounce of tech at their fingers. Jeanine had me working on a new serum when I left, she like everyone else was under the impression I was never leaving. The serum was a hybrid so to speak. It was able to track the person, but in the process take away their free will, it was long ranged. If she used this right she could control every member of any faction turning them into whatever she deems fit. Dauntless would become mindless killers, but there has to be a faction member controlling the system. Example, if she used Dauntless to attack Abnegation, one of us would be hooked up to the main frame controlling it, we see our friends as our enemies, and vice versa." The room was silent, but all eyes are taking in the information.

"She is right. I am expecting a cargo from my mother in five days, a serum to inject every Dauntless with. I will go to Candor," Eric sat, his body made the chair groan in protest.

"You, I mean every bit of offence. You have no tack, you're crude, you have no chance of convincing Jack of anything. If you go, take Christina and myself. Christina because she was Candor, she will understand them unlike us, me because I am able to convince him, or at the very least get him to understand. Candors are smart, Rilee also because he's a charmer," I say back seeing the anger well up in Eric.

"We leave in five, go grab the loud mouth," was all he said, I was waiting for all his glory "Keep those two hidden, Four keep them away from Tris," I take my leave heading towards the dorm to change and grab Chris, my head was pounding by now.

Everyone is in the dorm, Christina was dressed already while Myra and Will sit with her talking, I make my way to her "Christina let me use your black cut-out crop top," I smiled taking my black boots and jeans into the bathroom.

She didn't disappoint when not even four minutes later she walked in with it in her fingers "Make an excuse to leave Will and Myra, I need you for something. They will find out but not right now," I say pulling it over my chest, I should have figured it would be some small scrap of fabric.

"Okay, lucky I trust you. Where is Tris? You two peas are never apart." she cocked her head to the side "Oh shut it, we are too. But she is with Four, everything will be explained. We need to leave now," I groaned "Fine,"

It was easy, Myra looked worried but I gave her a nod before we left the dorm, I could see Four and Tris standing next to Frank, Rilee, and Eric who looked so very thrilled at this venture.

"Fine you have her, you go and watch over the Stiff. Frank make sure nothing happens, we should be back before dinner," Eric was so annoying at times.

"Sure thing boss man," Frank smiled.

Tris gave me a hug "Be safe," she whispered as Four joined in "Yeah, and watch those two," he eyed Rilee and Eric with narrowed dark blue eyes. "Yeah, think I will just make sure they don't fight each other," I laughed before leaving with Rilee, Chris, and the ever happy Eric.

It was still bright and sunny out when we could see the train coming at us "Fuck run," Eric bellowed as we all took off in a dead flat run. Eric was the first on, Rilee was next as Chris and I were at the last train car, I was in, then herself. We were alone in this car, a well worked out plan.

So after explaining every detail to Chris she just sat there with a blank stare "You created that?" I sighed.

"Never with the intention Jeanine is using it for. Christina, I am Divergent, I wouldn't create something to help people kill me. I was given a task, myself, Cara and Allison worked on it, us three wouldn't have done something like this," Christina sees the logic in this, because she gives me a smile.

"Divergent?"

"Simple, my brain doesn't work like yours. While your mind is more straight forward, mine gets pulled in hundreds of directions, I didn't get Candor let's say that. Divergents aren't dangerous, but still we are being killed, Percy was killed for it. Now Jeanine is taking factions out." I say to her.

"Well then, I hope we can convince Jack to help," she looked out of the train car pointing at the massive building.

"It was the largest building in the world before WW3, at least 18 stories tall and is comprised of a large room lacking windows in which the Candor gather. The corridors are constructed out of black marble and the floors are decorated with either black marble and a white Candor symbol (scales) or vice versa. It is grand," I watched as Rilee and Eric jumped.

"Why so soon, if they wait we could have jumped about five from here," she asked "Well, we wait then," so we did seeing them about near an attack with the train moving too fast for them. But soon enough we jumped "Better we haul ass," I say as we ran, taking to the shadows seeing some factionless, some dead some near enough, but we move faster.

Maybe there was hope, if Cara could give me the information on a secure drive, I could help, Eric could too, he was as smart as his mother. We simply walked into Candor, now Dauntless would have detained any who did such a thing.

But in the front of massive scales in black was a desk, a young woman stood "Hey, we need Jack Kang, this is urgent," a rather hideous girl it was.

"Oh Atwood, it's you. Wyatt this is Darla Atwood twin sister to Molly, I couldn't tell which one was uglier," Christina stood her arms across her chest.

"Close call, but Darla," I offered, it was rude but the girl just walked off "So Jack?" I asked "My mom will help," she was off running with me on her ass. She knew every turn. We stopped in front of a small apartment. A dog barking could be heard.

"Hush Chunkers," a little female voice echoed before the door opened a girl of eleven maybe stood there "CHRISTINA," she had Chris's bright smile.

"Hey, where is mom?" letting her sister hug her "She is cooking supper," the door shut firmly behind us as Chris lead us into the kitchen, all too black and white here.

"Now young lady, you know this is against the rules. But honey it's so good to see you," her mother had a warm smile and voice.

"Mom, we need to talk to Jack Kang. Please mama, Erudite is planning a war," Christina pleaded, looking into her mother's light brown eyes. "You sit now, I will go get that man, drag him in here if I must," then she was gone.

"I like her," I smiled taking a seat while the little girl watched "Who are you?" she asked "Wyatt, I am your sisters best friend," I answered.

"Oh that's great," she smiled this was odd, I was becoming uncomfortable real fast when the door opened and Kang was shoved in "Now," was heard still a warm voice of Chris's mama.

"I was in a meeting Gail," he answered her "I don't care, I said this was much more important." Jack was very handsome, Asian, with nice black hair, young too. Then his eyes fell on us "This is against all the rules," he was angry.

"Okay then, let's go. Have fun going against Erudite, Kang. They will wipe you out," Christina followed my lead as we headed towards the door.

"You're mistaken, Erudite would never," he stood there looking at us "Well you're wrong, sorry its harsh but true," Christina answered he gave us a calculating look.

"Sit and we can talk," now he was interested.

"I am from Erudite, I am a Dauntless initiate. Jeanine is going to over-throw each faction in turn, not just Candor. She along with Evelyn Eaton, have injected and started killing off the factionless, we passed dead coming here. Jeanine wants power, she wants no factions." I say, he looked shocked.

"We are willing to use the serum Mr. Kang. I trust Wyatt, she agreed." Christina sad while he gave her a nod "With these claims it will be needed."

"I have terms. One a handful of loyal Candors to view the questioning. Second, you give Dauntless enough serum to purge us, we have to be able to trust each other. This is a war, one that if we fail, our world is gone, our free will is gone. We have three hours for this to happen."

"I will bring four with me, and serum for the interview, come with me I will show you to my office. If you're found to be lying we will hold you for Erudite," he said.

"You can try, but I have faith in the fact we have not lied, so lead the way,"

Once near Jack's office "WYATT," we all turned "Well I will be bringing two more serums," Jack said "Fuck they found us," Christina looked worried.

"They are Dauntless leaders," I say "Eric and Rilee, Jack agreed as long as we take the serum to prove we aren't lying," Eric looked worried.

"Fine let's get it over with," he stood behind me as Rilee gave me a look "Trouble maker," he grinned.


	20. Serum and questions

_**Hello fellow fanfiction readers and writers, here is a new chapter to my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As usual I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see character pictures and outfits then please go check out my polyvore Noellamonster. Thanks for reading and please review!**_

I am the first to be questioned, no surprise there, Christina, Rilee, and Eric wait against the wall. I sit in Jacks high backed chair my feet not able to touch the floor as I swing them back and forth.

"We will be questioning these people, and if they are proven correct we will aid them, if proven false they will be arrested," Kang said taking a seat in front of me.

"This is Niles, he is the one who will inject you," Kang said as I gave a firm nod Niles opens the black box. It contains four needles, one for me and three others. He also takes an antiseptic wipe from his pocket and offers it to me. We didn't bother with that kind of thing in Dauntless.

"The injection site is in your neck," Niles says I apply the antiseptic to my skin. Niles steps forward and plunges the needle into neck when Eric steps forward. "I am not hurt," I say, my voice low, my hand held up.

"I will ask you a series of simple questions so that you can grow accustomed to the serum as it takes full effect," says Niles. "Now. What is your name?"

"Wyatt Madison Tomlin," I answer. Seconds later my brain goes silent. What was I thinking about? It doesn't seem to matter. Nothing matters except the chair beneath me and the man sitting across from me. but no that's not true, I move through the fog the serum has my brain in, I can feel sweat as it clears.

"What are the names of your parents, Wyatt?" was this a trick question Kang sets his hand on my knee as I consider his dark eyes "I don't know, I was adopted," he gives me a look but let it go, I lied I knew who they were.

"You are also a faction transfer, are you not?" his voice soft as he talks to me "I am," I say back fast as if I am still under the effect of the serum.

"You came from Erudite? And chose Dauntless?"

"Yes," I say again, but this time, the word sounds terse.

"Why did you transfer?"

That question is more complicated, but I still know the answer. "I wanted to find out how my older brother really died, Max killed him because he was Divergent. I went for my friend Will so he wasn't alone, I discovered there were people I would fight for. Die for, even." the truth wasn't the problem.

"Why did you come to Candor today?" Kang asked his brows knit together "I already told you, but Mrs. Matthews is killing off every factionless with the help of Evelyn. They are plotting to over throw us all, each faction one after the other until they rule over us, taking away our free will. Mrs. Matthews will just kill Evelyn when she is done using her. All of us are in danger, we came to make sure our factions stay safe, but purged of the infection of greed." I say cracking my neck now the room was buzzing.

"Wyatt Tomlin," says Kang, "what are your deepest regrets?"

What do I regret? I do not regret choosing Dauntless or leaving Erudite "I regret not seeing Percy, not seeing him because I was selfish and angry he left me in Erudite," I whisper this time.

"Thank you for your honestly," is said over and over as I stand, Eric is expressionless, his mouth in a firm line, his stare blank. His hands crossed over his chest, clasping his arms so hard his knuckles are white. Next to him stands Christina as Rilee helps me take another seat.

"Rilee please," was called, he left me sitting there and took my spot, we watched him being injected by himself, his eyes glazed over.

"What is your name?" this time it was Niles asking "Rilee Nathen Jackson," he answered without a real thought.

"Why have you come here to Candor?" was asked, they are just getting right into the heart of it "Erudite has become power hungry, Dauntless is in turmoil because of Max. we need to have a united front to take of Jeanine. We can't survive without the factions; our world would turn to chaos. We are warning Amity, Abnegation and Candor, we must find common ground. Our leaders were siding with Jeanine up until Wyatt came, gave a few of us a reason to believe how wrong we really were. I was wrong, and now I am here trying to aid and fix my mistakes," it sounded ripped from his chest, the room was buzzing so loud.

"What do you regret?" was asked as Niles stood "I regret believing the bullshit of faction before blood, I wasn't there when my mother passed away in Abnegation." that was horrible.

"Thank you for your honesty," he starred away towards me as Christina was the fastest with this having done it multiple times.

"I regret, well not kissing Will sooner," she said before her face fell and I laughed "I knew it, Will and Christina," I cooed as her mother gave her a look.

But now it is Eric who sits, he injected himself "What's your name?" Eric looked to be fighting it "Why is it important?" he asked right back. As murmurs came across their lips.

"It is now that you tried not to answer it," Niles stood walking around "Eric Michaël Matthews," he growled out.

"Why did you come?" was asked, we all leaned in to hear his answer "To turn against my mother, Jeanine Matthews. To save Wyatt from being her lab rat, to make sure Wyatt is safe no matter the cost. Wyatt is my priority, I don't think we can make it without the factions, but right now it's war. My mother is a vile woman with no love for Candor, she will wipe you all out, use you, bend you to her will with her new serums. She is having a serum delivered to Dauntless, it will control all who are injected, we were going to wipe out Abnegation or so I was told. But this isn't what I want, it may have taken falling for a girl, a girl I thought I hated, but I know I was wrong," it sounded as if it was forced from him, ripped from his chest.

Kang stood this time "What do you regret Eric?" Eric glanced at me "I regret her being hurt. Hurt because I couldn't let my mother know I was in love with her. I regret not being there to save my best friend before Max was able to kill him, her hurt because he died, he died and I wasn't there," he yelled before he stood and broke the chair against the wall, Rilee stood in front of us in case Eric came at us girls.

"Thank you for your honesty," was said louder now "Niles we will be conducting a purge of all members from 16 and up, it will be a surprise, have enough serums ready. You need 130 vials yourselves," Jack was up.

"We will side with Dauntless, we are indebted to you for your brave act. Time is short, and we have much to do," Jack said as Niles and Chris's mother rushed from the room to get us serum.

Eric stood looking out the window, as we waited. Tomorrow Dauntless was in for it. Death and serums.

We left Candor each with a box, we rode the train in silence, it wasn't until near midnight when I found Eric he was sitting on the walk way his head braced against the steel beam looking down at the chasm. "Eric," I say when I get close, his head moving, his eyes on me.

"Hey," his voice low "You couldn't have stopped Max, Percy wouldn't want this; for you to live with this guilt. He would want you to live but he wouldn't like who you have become. As for your betrayal, you could have talked to me more than once about it, instead you tossed it in my face. I forgive you, but I still need time to make sure you won't hurt me again," I whisper not getting to close to him.

"Wyatt I will never be so stupid again, you're right I should have and could have talked to you. But I was scared I think, not something I can deal with being scared. But I was, I will do whatever I need to," he said getting to his feet before pulling me close to his chest.

"I need sleep," I say at the same time he asked "Do you have feelings for Rilee?" his face serious "He is a great guy, and maybe one day I could. He is a great kisser, but right now no," that was all it took, as he lifted me from the ground taking me away, away to his apartment.


	21. Uneasy ending

_**Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As always I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see character pictures and outfits then head on over to my polyvore Noellamonster. Thank you for reading and please leave a review!**_

Tris was in a heated argument with Four as I watched from bellow them, they are at the Chasm walkway. Four shakes his head and looks at the rock wall to his right, it must be ancient. No one builds with stone anymore.

"Why do you care, anyway?" I heard Tris say. "You can be either cruel instructor or concerned boyfriend." I tense up at the word "boyfriend." Are they dating now? I feel bad for Tris. "You can't play both parts at the same time."

"I am not cruel." He scowls at her as I started making my why up the path. "I was protecting you this morning. How do you think Peter or others would have reacted if they discovered that you and I were…?" He sighs. "You would never win. They would always call your ranking a result of my favoritism rather than your skill."

I open my mouth to object, but even I can't. A few smart remarks come to mind, but I dismiss them. He's right. My cheeks warm, and I cool them with my hands. Tris seems to do the same, is this also why Eric never alerted any to us.

"You didn't have to insult me to prove something to them," Tris stood her ground as she gazed at my brother. "And you didn't have to run off to your brother just because I hurt you," he says. He rubs at the back of his neck. "Besides—it worked, didn't it?" but it was very uncalled for, if it wasn't for Rilee I would have ran after her.

"I didn't think it would affect you this way." Then he looks down and shrugs. "Sometimes I forget that I can hurt you. That you are capable of being hurt." He wasn't used to being close to anyone, better never to hurt or be hurt that way.

Tris stands on her tiptoes, lifted her head, and kiss him. Only their lips touch.

"You're brilliant, you know that?" Tris shakes her head, a small smile on her face. "You always know exactly what to do."

"Only because I've been thinking about this for a long time," he says, kissing her briefly. "How I would handle it, if you and I…" He pulls back and smiles. "Did I hear you call me your boyfriend, Tris?" this was getting very uncomfortable, I try and slip by them unseen.

"There you are Wyatt," it was Rilee "Oh hey Rilee," I smile trying to ignore the stares shooting into my back "Come on, a few Erudite are here and Eric has to play the good boyfriend, and wants you out of sight. Four find out about the commotion on the wall, we will be in my office," Rilee ordered before nearly dragging me, his arm linked in mine. We walked through the Pit where I saw Eric and his girl, this was why we couldn't be together, until all this is finished. I was fed up; I was better than this. Eric's eyes met mine. I pulled Rilee with me heading his way once close enough "I am done, I am better and deserve better. You choose her than fine," I whispered close as his eyes went wide and I stormed off very un-happy.

I go to bed hungry and pissy as I refused to eat in the dining hall.

I have attended Erudites initiation ceremony every year except this one. It is a quiet affair. The initiates, who spend thirty days performing acts of intelligence, studying, reading, researching before they can become full members, sit side by side on a bench. One of the older members reads the Erudite manifesto, which is a very long scroll about forgetting the self and the dangers that intelligence is the key. Then all the older member take a new member under their wing, they leave to talk after the feast.

The Dauntless don't do that.

Initiation day plunges the Dauntless compound into insanity and chaos. There are people everywhere, and most of them are inebriated by noon. I fight my way through them to get a plate of food at lunch and carry it back to the dormitory with me. On the way, I see someone fall off the path on the Pit wall and, judging by his screams and the way he grabs at his leg, he broke something. Tris, Myra, and Christina all look down at the man "I'd get that looked at," I say walking away with them behind me.

The dormitory, at least, is quiet. I stare at my plate of food. I just grabbed what looked good to me at the time, and now that I take a closer look, vegetables, Erudite food, brain food. I sigh. Erudite is what I am. It is what I am when I'm not thinking about what I'm doing. It is what I am when I am put to the test. It is what I am even when I appear to be brave. Am I in the wrong faction? My friends all look somber, all fiddling with their food.

I just can't take sitting here "I am going for a walk," Myra is with Lynn, Christina is calming herself by smooching Will, so Tris and I are just sitting here. "I'll come too," Tris just left her plate as did I, after this day everything was going to change. Dauntless has gotten smaller as of these last three days, fire raging at night. We walk through the southwest tunnel, one we have never gone down before, Dauntless was massive.

Tris cocked her head to the side "Are you going to forgive Eric?" she asked as her fingertips ran along the cold stone walls, her other hand in mine "I did already, but he still has to pretend he has a girl. That I just can't deal with," I fume she squeezed my hand.

It was chilly now "Rilee really likes you," she added "I know, he is smart, sweet, talented but if I was to try to date him Eric would kill him. I know this without a doubt," this was something we agreed on, we both stopped when voices could be heard getting louder. But we shook off the feeling we should leave and moved forward.

In a cavern was Frank, Eric, his slut, my mother, and Mrs. Matthews with a few boxes behind them. Eric was holding that sluts hand as they all talked. We strained to hear "After each Dauntless is done with their last walk through, inject this serum into their neck. You already understand what it will do, you're to make sure Wyatt isn't involved I rather her not have death on her hands or hurt in any way." Mrs. Matthews says her face stern.

The slut laughed "That girl is more than able to handle herself, her man wouldn't let her get hurt. She shouldn't be babied," well yes I agree.

But my mother knocked her to the floor with a single hit, the smallest trace of a tattoo could be seen, I was shocked, Tris gave me a look matching look "I very much don't like you, as Wyatt is concerned, we know how she has grown, how good she really is. I love her and rather her not have Abnegation blood on her hands," Mrs. Matthews voice cut her like a knife.

The girl had fire "Well get used to me since Eric and I are getting married when this is over," I gasped I felt Tris's hand cover my mouth. But I turn seeing Rilee and Four, Four with his hand over Tris's as Rilee held me pulling us away from this. "I will go check," it was Eric, no way we would make it in time. So, when his body turned the corner he looked beyond pissed, but a new emotion, pain so much pain. I knew I had tears "No Wyatt, please," but now I turned into Rilee who just picked me up.

His eyes so cold now "You ever think the game has gone on for far too long, when you hurt the ones you love?" with that we all left Eric standing there the air was warmer now as we left the tunnel.

"You got Tris, I am taking trouble over here to calm down," Rilee joked "Be careful with my sister. Wyatt, we will talk after. I have to be in the Fear landscape soon," I just give a nod as we walk from each other trying to avoid Erudite and my friends they would ask why I am so upset.

Rilee just held my hand walking to the training room, Lynn and Myra waved "See you girls soon," I waved smiling back "You worried about this final scape?" Rilee asked once he locked the doors behind us his arms wrapped around my waist. "Honestly no. I have a plan, a very well thought out plan, very Erudite worthy," I laughed as he picked me up setting me on the long table.

He gave me this intense stare "After he will still inject, but thanks to Cara all the serums have been substituted with a simple healing serum just dyed with flecks. So, don't worry, we will still have to go to Abnegation, where Matthews will be. It is time for war. The factionless are not all dead, she kept the very best to fight with Erudite. Our goal will be to get Erudite out of Abnegation and secure it, Matthews will flee and come back with a new plan, but Four and I are going to do our hardest to off that crazy bitch and his own mother, well yours too," it was a sad reality that we had to fight, we had to come to terms with this treat to us, but we have faith and training.

I sighed "Why is Peter still around, no way he passed the serum," I scoff now, but Rilee just holds me closer "Mrs. Matthews was talking to him, we haven't been able to talk to him. Edward and Al passed, they are beside themselves with what they did. They already did there landscape this morning with Four, Eric, Frank, and myself," this was news, I still rather they not be here but they earned their way back into Eric's good grace I guess.

"Come here," he whispered before he tilled my chin up, his lips so warm and welcome, I let a little mewl escape my lips as his hands cupped my ass pulling me closer to his body. My legs wrapped around his lower body, the kiss was sweet, but demanding all the same. My hands braced on his chest, but deep down this was wrong, we couldn't be together he and I knew this, we talked for hours one night not long ago.

I relished in the feeling of his hands as they traced my cheek with slow movements they moved to my neck along with his lips as my head fell back, anticipation coiled inside me as he was deliberately slow. I jumped back when a loud boom was heard against the door, it wasn't a knock but a loud thunderous noise. "He found us," Rilee breathed out as we both looked to the door.

He just pulled me from the table as he dragged me from the main room, Rilee unlocked the door as he continued to haul me through it, an exit, I never knew. We soon made it safely to the Pit seeing Christina and Will hand in hand walking. "Go act normal," Rilee kissed me again before he vanished back into the room, a small click was all I heard as I rushed back down the stone steps. Hearing yelling Eric was there at the bottom, Rilee just as bad. "She can be with whoever she wants, Eric. From what we heard you're a taken and nearly married man. You have no claim to her any more, you're my friend, I wish that wouldn't change but you have hurt her far too much," but I knew Eric, even if I wasn't with him, even though I think I love him, Rilee turned on him and that wasn't going to fly with him.

"Leave Rilee alone," I snap walking down "Wyatt my love, please." Eric came closer "Why are your lips swollen?" he asked "I was making out with Rilee, in all fucking honesty. You no longer have the right to ask me, I forgave you being under the impression your fake relationship was over. But now hearing she thinks you will marry her. I may not end up dating Rilee, but in the end, I will be with whomever I damn well please." I turn on my heel and walk from them both heading towards the Fear landscape seeing Tris at the top watching and waiting as it was beginning.

"Time to go," she says. She looks ashen. The torture will be over soon, but can we forget the simulations? Will we ever sleep soundly again, with the memories of our fears in our heads? Or will we finally forget our fears today, like we're supposed to? These questions rattle in my head as Eric and Rilee come from behind us "You're the only girl I want. It is done, as of tonight everyone will know." Eric said in passing, Rilee just walked by with a smile and wink heading into the large testing room.

I am too short to see above anyone's head, so I stare at Will's back and walk in his wake with Tris. The heat of so many bodies around me makes it difficult to breathe. Beads of sweat gather on my forehead. A break in the crowd reveals what they are all clustered around: a series of screens on the wall to my left.

I hear a cheer and stop to look at the screens. The screen on the left shows a black-clothed girl in the fear landscape room—Marlene. I watch her move, her eyes wide, but I can't tell what obstacle she's facing. Thank God no one out here will see my fears either—just my reactions to them.

The middle screen shows her heart rate. It picks up for a second and then decreases. When it reaches a normal rate, the screen flashes green and the Dauntless cheer. The screen on the right shows her time.

I tear my eyes from the screen and jog to catch up to Christina and Will dragging Tris with me. Tobias stands just inside a door on the left side of the room that I barely noticed the last time I was here. It is next to the fear landscape room. I walk past him without looking at him, but Tris does her face paler further.

The room is large and contains another screen, like the one outside. A line of people sit in chairs in front of it. Eric is one of them, and so is Rilee. The others are also older. Judging by the wires connected to their heads, and their blank eyes, they are observing the simulation.

Behind them is another line of chairs, all occupied now. I am the last to enter, so I don't get one.

"Hey, Wyatt, Tris!" Uriah calls out from across the room. He sits with the other Dauntless-born initiates. Only four of them are left; the rest have gone through their fear landscapes already. "You can sit on my lap, if you want."

"Such a kind offer, you should be in Amity," I smile as he looked taken back, his hand on his chest as Tris laughed, at least she laughed before going into the room.

The lights lift in the fear landscape room, revealing Marlene in a crouch, her face streaked with tears. Rilee, Eric, and a few others shake off the simulation daze and walk out. A few seconds later I see them on the screen, congratulating her for finishing. "She looks so scared," Tris whispered as I give a firm nod.

"Transfers, the order in which you go through the final test was taken from your rankings as they now stand," Tobias says. "So Wyatt will go first, and Mayra will go last."

That means five people will go after I do. "Unfair, I don't want to go first," I groan "Lead by example," Four smiled as I scoffed hugging Tris, Christina, and Will "Be Brave, it is all in your head." I say before turning and walking in with my brother who gave me comfort by his hand rubbing the small of my back. "You got this," he whispered as he helped me into the chair his fingers brushing hair from my face, we did look alike now that I stare at him.

Eric towered over me after Four went back to the room with the massive computer "It will be a slight pinch, Wyatt. I need you, I don't know why but I do. I don't know how you wormed your way so deep into me but you have. I don't deserve you, but that doesn't change the fact I want you," he whispered as he cleaned my neck to prevent infection.

I say nothing just closed my eyes making my breath steady.

One-down

Two-down

Three-down

Four-down now my last as I walked the Pit alone just the blue lights flickering in an eerie way "Come on, demon," a smiling Eric holds his hand to me when the silky voice of Rilee chimed in "Come with me, he will only bring pain," my eyes moved between them this was my most irrational fear, why do I fear this.

Before my eyes Jeanine and my own mother executed them, their blood splattered across my face "Sorry about that my dear, but we need you. We need your brains," it was Mrs. Matthews as my own mother cackled.

I had never let my fear get this far, I was Dauntless… I grabbed Jeanine and with a single hit to her up turned nose small black trickles of blood came from her nose as her body crumpled like a broken doll. My heart slowed, seeing this…my eyes bolt open and I jump from the chair alone in the empty room with the concrete walls, shaking. I sink to my knees, wrapping my arms around my chest. It wasn't cold when I walked in, but it feels cold now. I rub my arms to get rid of the goose bumps.

I have never felt relief like this before. Every muscle in my body relaxes at once and I breathe freely again. Eric and Rilee rushed in "Are you okay?" Eric asked helping me to a standing position as Rilee backs off a little.

I noticed Jeanine walking in a smile on her face as Eric talks "Congratulations, Wyatt," says Eric. "You have successfully completed your final evaluation."

"Thanks," I say.

"There is one more thing before you can go and get ready for the welcoming banquet," he says. He beckons to one of the unfamiliar people behind him. A woman with blue hair hands him a small black case. He opens it and takes out a syringe and a long needle. I don't tense up at the sight of it. The orange-brown liquid in the syringe reminds me of what they inject us with before simulations. I know it will not harm me, but why was I to be injected in the first place.

"At least you aren't afraid of needles," he says. "This will inject you with a tracking device that will be activated only if you are reported missing. Just a precaution."

"How often do people go missing?" I ask, frowning. He was a very good liar.

"Not often." Eric smirks. "This is a new development, courtesy of Erudite. We have been injecting every Dauntless throughout the day, and I assume all other factions will comply as soon as possible." My stomach twists at the thought of what could have been.

"All right," I say, my throat tight.

Eric approaches me with the needle and syringe in hand. I pull my hair away from my neck and tilt my head to the side. I look away as Eric wipes my neck with an antiseptic wipe and eases the needle into my skin. The deep ache spreads through my neck, painful but brief. He puts the needle back in its case and sticks an adhesive bandage on the injection site. "I love you," it was so low, so soft I was lucky I even heard him.

"The banquet is in two hours," he says. "Your ranking among the other initiates, Dauntless-born included, will be announced then. Good luck." He was formal with his mother behind him "My dear, you did so well," but her smile was off.

I stood tall "It was simple Mrs. Matthews, deep down I am Erudite. I knew my fears and formed a researched and proven tactic to overcome them in the least amount of time using Erudite and Dauntless training," now she gave me a real smile.

She was calculating my score, my answer, Peters words, and last her own agenda.

I walked down the hall alone heading towards the Pit for a new tattoo when I am cornered by six armed Erudite guards "Come the easy way Wyatt. Your mother and Jeanine don't want you hurt. They want to cure you,"

"Cure me of what?" I said I was out numbered, I was good very good but not good enough to take them all before I was taken, so I was going to fight but resigned to being taken. "Divergence," I knew Tris told her brother when she saw him, he said he wanted out from Erudite and she fell for it.

I turned fast wrapping my arm around the closest one kicking in the back of his knee before taking his gun and firing three times, taking two leaving four as the rushed before any came looking for the noise. I disarmed knocking another out when pain flared in the back of my head, the world became fuzzy and I saw blackness.


	22. A lab rat and a new ally

_**Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As always, I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see character pictures and outfits then head on over to my polyvore Noellamonster. Thank you for reading and please leave a review!**_

My head is pounding, my hand finds its way to the lump that has formed "Going to kill them," I mutter moving to a sitting position. I noticed I was in a bed, a small room, not a holding cell but a small comfortable room. I am alone, I doubt for long, once word was out I was gone, maybe Cara heard rumor I was here, something. I couldn't be cured because there was nothing wrong with me, I was angry at Tris she gave her brother information we had promised not to, it might cost me dearly, cost her.

I look from the small window, beyond the glass is the right wing medical labs, this room was created just for me since it used to be a cold storage unit. I see two guards, but luck was on my side for once. Mr. Matthews was standing feet away reading over a file, he looks up as his wife walks over gaining his attention, he had no clue I was here. I move back going to the chair crossing my legs, my hands crossed, waiting.

I don't have to wait long, Mrs. Matthews, Evelyn, and my own mother came in smiling innocently, as if they hadn't just kidnapped me. "I am sorry my dear, I asked them not to use force," Mrs. Matthews actually looked upset I was hurt.

They each take seats "So, let us not play games. You have me here to test on, trying to see if your developed cures work." The words coming from clenched teeth as Jeanine gave me a sad nod.

"Yes, we don't want to lose you. You're like the daughter I never had, Wyatt," I was more surprised she was being honest and pushing her pride down enough to be vulnerable.

I set me elbows on my knees "There is nothing wrong with me, you might consider such a thing. The only difference between you and I is that my brain moves in multiple directions, making me able to think at a faster pace. But bring on the cures, you have put all your faith in your serums and cures. I will show you how miss placed that trust was," they both looked at me, a wide range of emotions crossed their faces.

"Wyatt my child, we want what is best for you," my mother smiled as if she really cared.

"I doubt, you knew about Percy, knew Jeanine was behind his death. You just went with it," she looked hurt now, her eyes glossy.

"At the time we had no cure, or serums that could save him. I did what I had to," she was really that far gone to think I would buy into her crap.

I looked over the three women, all power hungry "I knew when I left Erudite it was a matter of time before my home faction found out I was Divergent. But again I had to leave, to find out how, why, and by whom my brother died. I went, got my answered and killed all that were involved in Dauntless. You don't get to call yourself Percy's mother anymore, he loved you, you turned on your own blood this is not something I can look past," my mother looked beyond crushed but said nothing as my eyes fell on Evelyn. Her eyes the same as mine, she looked more like Four.

I spoke, "You don't get to call yourself my mother either, I already have been warned about you from my other brother. You both can shove your tablets up your ass and go fuck yourself. Jeanine has always been real about herself, unlike your fake asses," Jeanine sat straighter a proud smile placed on her face, she was still misplaced, I only respected her for being honest. I was going to kill them, all three, when I got a chance.

Jeanine stood "We will begin after dark, no one knows you're here. I have to keep it this way. I will have a nice meal brought in and a nice cold fizzy drink. Would you like anything, my dear?" I give her a look.

"Books," was all I said as she smiled brighter.

"Of course," than they left without another word, Jeanine was true to her word, I sat at my desk with a pile of good reading material and a very nice dinner with two ice cold fizzes. So I ate a little knowing they were going to pump me full of serum, I read to pass the time and amuse myself.

I could see the sun was down via the small window on the far wall, but even standing on the desk I could only touch it, not see through it. I knew they would be coming soon. Erudite had a curfew, sleep was important to keep the mind healthy. I sit back in the chair and continue to read checking my watch, it was Percy's. They will be coming soon, by now Rilee, Zeke, Eric, Four, and the rest must have noticed I have been missing. Eric will be tearing apart Dauntless like a two-bit loon, he won't find me. I had to find some way to get Cara or Mr. Matthews to see me, this was their lab. But for now, I survive their test and right on time the door opened Jeanine and two guards walked in.

"Hello, Jeanine," I say, because it is the only thing that comes to mind.

I look from Jeanine's watery gray eyes to the Dauntless who flank her. Peter stands at her right shoulder, and a woman with lines on either side of her mouth stands at her left. Behind her is a bald man with sharp planes in his skull. I frown. One out of three guards is a Dauntless.

How does Peter find himself in such a prestigious position, as Jeanine Matthews's bodyguard? Where is the logic in that?

"Hello my dear," she smiled as I stood ready for whatever was going to come my way this very dark evening. She walked out with me trailing behind her, I knew the halls by heart, if I had the chance I knew the way to get out of Erudite, but I stood little chance of making it back to Dauntless. But I just needed to try, it would take one slip up and I was gone, it was logical to want to escape. But I push the thoughts back down, my head had to be in the game.

I remember as a child sneaking out with Edward and Will seeing Percy and Cara making out in a lab. The labs are now dark, no one is here mixing serums, no one going over lab sheets on computer screens. But we enter Mr. Matthews lab, but his spot is taken by none other than Caleb Prior.

"From your results, my dearest, I have determined that you are one of the strongest Divergent, which I say not to compliment you but to explain my purpose. If I am to develop a simulation and cure that cannot be thwarted by the Divergent mind, I must study the strongest Divergent mind in order to shore up all weaknesses in the technology. Understand? I am devastated it is you, I couldn't get to the Prior girl," I sit on the cold metal table.

I look at Jeanine "Leave Tris alone, you have me, test whatever you need to. I know it was her own blood that gave her and I up, blood means nothing these days." she gave me a sad look.

She answered, "Yes Caleb did, he wants peace, he understood the drastic measures that needed to take place." I scoffed now.

"Don't insult my intelligence again, you want power and will do everything in your power to get it. You will lie and manipulate all around you, you have an attack on Abnegation planned, you are taking control on faction at a time." Now she smiled.

"I want you there when I do," was all she muttered. She wants to study my response. I barely breathe. I used to think that cruelty required malice, but that is not true. Jeanine has no reason to act out of malice. But she is cruel because she doesn't care what she does, as long as it fascinates her. I may as well be a puzzle or a broken machine she wants to fix. She will break open my skull just to see the inner workings of my brain; I will die here, and that will be the merciful thing.

"I knew what would happen when I came here," I say.

For two days, I am her new favorite project, after two MRI'S, and many high dosages of serums, I watched in fascination as she was spitting nails, pulling her hair out. Caleb would try and calm her, but she was losing it with the notion she couldn't cure me. She sent me books, food, whatever I needed, but she was getting very worried, she really wanted to cure me.

For a third night…

"The serum," Jeanine says, eyeing Peter. He steps forward and fumbles with a black box on the desk, taking out a syringe with a needle already attached to it.

Peter starts toward me, and I hold out my hand.

"Allow me," I say.

The sim takes me, I am still in Erudite when I look around.

"Percy?" I say.

He looks back at me. A lock of hair falls from its place and falls on his cheek.

"I love you."

I point at a window to my left, and it explodes. Particles of glass rain over us.

I don't want to wake up in a room in Erudite headquarters, so I don't open my eyes right away, not even when the simulation fades. I try to preserve the image of my brother and the hair sticking to his cheekbone for as long as I can. But when all I see is the redness of my own eyelids, I open them.

"You'll have to do better than that," I say to Jeanine.

She says, "That was only the beginning." But she leaves me with three guards.

"I know what you did to Max, you know. Don't pretend that you're better than I am, because you and I, we're exactly the same." Peter says but doesn't look at me.

"Oh, don't go off your rocker, Peter. I am not sick and twisted like yourself. I helped kill Max and his crew, out of revenge not for kicks. They killed my older brother, they paid," he looked at me now.

He retorted "I attacked you guys and Edward, because I need to be the best." But that didn't matter, who was the best never mattered.

"Good for you, hope it made you feel manly," but his nostrils flare.

I sit up as one of the men grab me as if I have tried to escape, I growled moving fast, his body flying over mine, my knee in his neck "Touch me again and I will rip your arm off, not just break it," I spat the words as he looked at me in fear, I will thank Eric for this move.

His voice was low but we all heard "You didn't break it," a small smile as if I was ripping wings off a Dragonfly, his arm made a nasty snapping sound, it echoed off the walls. Pain flared across my face, that bitch, I watched as Peter pulled the girl off.

"Back off, he attacked her," he snapped as Jeanine walked in "I have asked you in competent fools to not do so," Jeanine's cold hands braced my face "Oh, Angel. I will get some cream," she said her fingers traced the bruise forming as Peter helped me back up.

Peter looked sick "I don't need cream, I am Dauntless, I have had worse at your son's hands. Yeah, the scars on my legs his doing, one sick man," she had tossed a fit seeing them during my exam.

She looked stunned.

The door opens again.

Cara walks in—limps in—flanked by Erudite traitors. There's a cut above her eyebrow. She does not move with her usual care; she's holding herself perfectly straight. She must be injured. I try not to think about how she got that way.

"What is this?" she says, her voice soft and creaky.

From screaming, probably.

My throat feels swollen.

"Angel," she says, and she lurches toward me, but the Erudite traitors are too quick. They grab her before she can move more than a few steps. "Wyatt, are you okay?"

"Yeah," I say. "Are you?"

She nods. I don't believe her.

"Rather than waste any more time, Cara, I thought I would take the most logical approach. Truth serum would be preferable, of course, but it would take days to coerce Jack Kang into handing some over, as it is guarded by Candor, and I'd rather not waste a few days." She steps forward, a syringe in hand. This serum is tinted gray. It could be a new version of the simulation serum, but I doubt it.

I wonder what it does. It can't be good, if she looks this pleased with herself.

"In a few seconds, I will inject Wyatt with this liquid. At that point, I trust, your selfless instincts will take over and you will tell me exactly what I need to know."

"What does she need to know?" I say, interrupting her.

"Information about the ones working against her, safe houses," she replies without looking at me.

My eyes widen.

"Don't give it to her. I'm going to die anyway. Don't give her anything."

"Remind me, Cara," says Jeanine. "What do Dauntless simulations do?"

"This isn't a classroom," she replies through gritted teeth. "Tell me what you're going to do."

"I will if you answer my very simple question."

"Fine." Cara's eyes shift to me. "The simulations stimulate the amygdala, which is responsible for processing fear, induce a hallucination based on that fear, and then transmit the data to a computer to be processed and observed."

"Very good," she says. "When I was developing the Dauntless simulations, years ago, we discovered that certain levels of potency overwhelmed the brain and made it too insensible with terror to invent new surroundings, which was when we diluted the solution so that the simulations would be more instructive. But I still remember how to make it."

She taps the syringe with her fingernail.

"Fear," she says, "is more powerful than pain. So, is there anything you'd like to say, before I inject our Angel?"

Cara presses her lips together.

And Jeanine inserts the needle.

It begins quietly, with the pounding of a heart. I am not sure, at first, whose heartbeat I'm hearing, because it's far too loud to be my own. But then I realize that it is my own, and it's getting faster and faster.

Sweat collects in my palms and behind my knees.

And then I must gasp in order to breathe.

That's when the screaming starts

And I

Can't

Think.

Cara is in tears.

I hear what sounds like a child's scream beside me, and wrench my head around to see where it's coming from, but there is only a heart monitor. Above me the lines between the ceiling tiles warp and twist into monstrous creatures. The scent of rotting flesh fills the air and I gag. The monstrous creatures take on a more definite shape—they are birds, crows, with beaks as long as my forearm and wings so dark they seem to swallow all the light.

"Wyatt," says Percy. I look away from the crows.

He stands by the door, where he wasn't before I was injected, but now he has a knife. He holds it out from his body and turns it so the blade points in, at his stomach. Then he brings it toward himself, touching the tip of the blade to his stomach.

Not real, this isn't real, he was dead, dead because of Jeanine. My head pushes the disillusion away. "You'll have to do better than that," I say to Jeanine now my throat feels swollen.

She nearly lunged at me, but held herself back, she leaves with Caleb to get another serum, I notice Peter his eyes darting around, his body was pouring sweat now. That was when I noticed a puncture mark in his neck, Jeanine was controlling him, but it was wearing off. "This isn't right," was mumbled as I lunged taking my chance, I disarmed Peter in his stupor. I lunged for my two guards, using the butt of the gun rather than just shoot them, the sound would set more off.

"Peter come on," I grabbed his wrist my fingers biting into his flesh. Cara was next to me a second later 'We have to try to escape," I moan, my bare feet hurting, my body racked with spasms and pain.

With this we run towards the exit, the halls are long and turn at the most odd times, we don't slow just run when an alarm goes off and Erudite guards start the chase. Gun fire hits close to us as Peter disarmed another, we fire back it was now or never. I block Cara as we flee Erudite.

"What are you doing here?" we turned seeing Mr. Matthews still dressed "Jeanine as had her for near four days testing on her, she used me to bait Wyatt," Cara sobbed as he pulled a gun.

"Get out of here now," he growled as I fired hitting one, blood in a thin stream trickled down his forehead. Mr. Matthews hid but was letting shots go, all hitting their target. We burst through the door leading to the back ally.

"We have to get to the tracks and run, it is our only hope to get back to Dauntless," I say as we stop to breath a moment, my chest tight.

Cara asked "Is that logical?"

Peter answered "We're safe there, it doesn't need to be logical, I owe that bitch. She has been pumping me full of something since Dauntless," he nearly turned back to off Jeanine.

I moved when pain burned hot in my shoulder "Run," I yelled, that was all the incentive they needed, I had been shot there was no doubt about that. We ran, my feet protesting as rocks or glass dug into the sensitive flesh. The sun was rising that means so was the train, as we tracked through the wet grass, the train horn blared.

"Get on," I screamed taking a knee firing on our very persistent attackers, they had to take to the ground or risk death, the train was running towards Amity at this time, I turned seeing them jumping on. I was screwed if I didn't make it on, I turn running at full hilt towards the train, my legs protesting but I just pushed past the faint feeling until my hand was firmly on the handle, I pulled hard my feet leaving the ground as I landed in the train car two behind them. For now we are safe as I climb up on the roofs crawling low to avoid the wind, I swung into their car, seeing them on their knees.

"Thank god, Wyatt," Cara hugged me "Cara we have to jump off," she looked green around the gills.

"On to a seven-story high building, a massive gap between the train and roof," Peter added as she gasped.

"Oh no," but for now we ride seeing the sun out and bright, I stood with Peter watching for any trouble, blood trickles down my back and chest, the bullet passed through my shoulder, it hit nothing major. The white-hot pain seared through my body, it was something I had never felt before.

"Cara, up. We are nearly there, we will show you how to jump, do as we say we will have you jump at the curve, it has the smallest gap," I say as she holds a cloth to my back.

Soon enough we see Dauntless, what I didn't expect was the guards on the roof with guns ready "Fuck it, we still have to jump," I groan. "Now Cara!" I yell as she runs making the jump with Peter and myself right behind her, a larger gap for us. I feel it vibrating through my back as I stumble right into Peters arms, we face several guards.

I look up "Waiting for an invitation, to aid us you idoits?" my voice harsh as I stand on my own "Move aside," it was Zeke, he moved through the crowd until he spotted me.

"Oh, god Wyatt, we have been looking for you," he rushed over his arms coming around me "Been held for experimentation in Erudite," I groan as he picks me up, Cara and Peter behind him.

Zeke spoke, "This is going to suck," without another word he dropped me off the ledge, my body free falling until it hit the net, I was shot and being tossed from roofs. I moved until I was able to drag myself from the net, I let my body drop to the cold floor smelling musk and blood.

I moved from the tunnel heading towards the Pit when I hear Zeke "Don't, you're shot," no shit, but he wraps his arm around me as does Peter. Cara walks with us "Taking her to the ward, find her brother Four," Zeke yells down to a group of black clothed men.

"What don't want to alert, Eric?" I laughed my body shaking "No, no I don't," Zeke smiled.

"Has Eric been hurtful towards you Angel?" it was Cara her voice concerned, even with her being hurt.

"He cheated on her with some Dauntless slut," She looked shocked, her face pale, maybe at the very thought of Eric and I together, in a romantic way.

Tori rushes towards us "I will alert the leaders, oh Wyatt. We have been searching everywhere," she was torn but she left us taking to the bridge. I could hear yelling, the pounding of feet my eyes focused on my friends running at us, Christina, Tris, Will, Myra, Lynn, Marlene, and Uriah.

They stopped seeing Peter and Zeke carrying me, Will looked to his sister, his eyes taking in her injuries as he held her helping her along. I moved from the boys, pulling back my arm before sending into Tri's nose hearing it crack, smelling the blood, she looked shocked as did everyone but Peter.

She stood crying "Why?"

Peter answered "You told your brother all he needed to hear, you trusted him. He turned against you, your family, his home faction feeding Jeanine information. Wyatt was used as Jeanine's lab rat, for days." He sneered at her.

I spoke, "I am still your best friend, sister, but you shouldn't have let our secret out to any," she was crying harder now but she turned on her heel running from us "Marlene watch her," with that Uriah and Marlene run after her hand in hand.

Christina looked horrified "You're bleeding," her hands trying to stem the flow of the blood "I was shot," I tried to smile but it came out as a grimace.

"We might want to get her to the ward,' It was Myra who spoke.

"Right,"

But when my friends cleared the tall, muscular, and very angry form of Eric loomed fifteen feet away. "I am going to kill my mother, my father sent me an email," his eyes flashing in a very disturbing way.


	23. Home Coming

_**Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As always, I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see character pictures and outfits then head on over to my polyvore Noellamonster. Thank you for reading and please leave a review!**_

I was being driven to the brink of my sanity sitting in the hidden ward, I was finding out secrets left and right. Cara is at least here with me, Eric brings us books and things to keep our minds off the fact we had to stay hidden. Eric alerted us, this was to be our last day, this was too much.

Christina, Myra, and Will have come to visit, but not Tris who was going to get another punch, I wasn't mad at her. Cara was sleeping her face and muscle spasms have faded so she could sleep soundly. I was just so on edge, Dauntless was risking everything, but now everything was on the line. My brother came last night, Cara was a little disturbed his name was Four, but he just laughed saying it was a nick name. Four alerted me that we have stocked piled and are readying for war, I was going as Cara was staying, helping here in Dauntless. I was restless waiting for someone, anyone to come release us from our private hideaway; I needed a nice shower and fresh clothes.

Cara wasn't very bothered with this, she knew it wasn't going to be long but I was going crazy, I was determined to find my rank. If I finished first, I had first choice at a high ranked job. Tris and Myra walked in, Tris looking a little worse for the wear, I had broken her nose. "Finally, you came," I grumbled pulling her into a hug, it took a few but she hugged back. Tris and I have been through so much trying to hide who we are, we have grown closer than any others.

Tris answered, "I was just mad, mad at myself. I should have known Caleb was working for Erudite." Her voice torn, so full of pain.

I retorted, "You couldn't have known, he was playing a game, one he was good at. I was just mad since you told him way too much, but for now you have to understand he probably will not make it from this war alive." She looked a tad horrified.

Erudite was planning a large-scale attack on Abnegation, even without us it was going to happen, Jeanine said so herself. "You can leave," it was Frank who poked his head in with his cheery smile, he gave a wink to Myra before disappearing.

"Shower time, Myra show Cara to Eric, he will have to give her a room until this mess has been resolved." I grab my boots from the cold floor, the bare skin on my feet freezing.

"We haven't moved from the dorms yet, everything was put on hold. We haven't picked jobs either, when the scores were announced Eric and Rilee noticed your absence. We tore through Dauntless, we found some blood in the halls, two samples, one yours, the other some guy from Erudite. At that point we knew you were taken," Tris and Myra chimed soon Cara walked to the left tunnel with Myra heading to Eric's office.

I walked with Tris heading towards the dorms "Have you seen Peter?" she gave me a look.

"Yes, he left the ward last night. I guess we can't be too upset with him, Margo told Four he was pumped full of serum, it had to have been before the Choosing Ceremony. He was sent as a spy," she sounded empathic.

I knew a lot of this, but not the timeframe of his injections "Jeanine will do anything to gain power, I saw no needle marks on your brother. Sorry but it is the truth." This upset her, she wanted to believe her brother was good, that he was used like Peter. But Caleb was Abnegation before and Jeanine wouldn't have had direct access to him. I said nothing.

She was kind enough to wait for me as I showered the grim and dried blood from my body, the water hot as I scrubbed myself with the milk and honey scrub. I tried not to think of what went on during my testing, it would drive me mad if I lingered. I rinsed using my hands to twist the extra water from my hair as Tris held a thick towel out for me. Once I was dried enough to pull on my under garments we moved into the dorm, which was empty except for Tris and I. She helped me pull on the black leather pants with mesh cutouts, next was the black cut-out crop top with the regular black leather boots. I combed through my hair before we left, it would dry on its own.

Tris spoke, "Lunch time," she smiled which was good since I was hungry. The Pit was packed, nearly every single person we passed clapped my shoulder or back whispering words. Each word filled with how brave they thought I was. The dining hall was no different even as we sit with Will, Myra, Cara, Chris, Lynn, Marlene, and Uriah. I do notice Al and Edward eating at a smaller table, Peter was with a few others; all older Dauntless.

Christina see's my eyes "Yeah, Al and Edward have been eating here for a few days." But I just scoffed.

"At least Peter was being used since Candor, they did it on their own," they all agreed shooting dangerous looks to our old friends. The room falls silent, so I turn seeing Four, Eric, Zeke, and Rilee walking in, in some form of intimidating pack.

Cara gave them a look before continuing her writing.

I bit into my sandwich, my eyes lingered on the leaders. Rilee, Frank, and Eric; an odd number. They each sat at the head table, Eric, his eyes find mine as if drawn by a magnet. His eyes so cold, dark and menacing but he gives me this smile, a smile he only gives me. I turn from him, we all talked but everyone avoided the topic of my time away from Dauntless.

I had enough of the stares "See you guys in a little, I need a walk," and I did but the heavy footfalls of another echoed as I walked away.

Eric spoke as to not alarm me, "Wyatt," it was a gentle tone, I halted my pace slowing so Eric could make his way to me. We walked together, not needing to talk but it was better right now, the silence was not welcome right now.

"So how was I ranked?" I asked he smirked at me.

Eric answered, "First," I smiled back, any job I wanted was mine.

"I want a new department here in Dauntless, I along with a team of my choosing will head a researching and developing team," he gave me a rather stern look.

But I didn't back down.

"I can try,"

"You will do it, it will only benefit Dauntless," he gave me another look but gave his agreement.

I don't stop him as he wraps his arms around me, we look over the Chasm, it was peaceful just watching the water crash against the jagged rock, two forces of nature living together. He was content to just hold me "We have to deal with Erudite," I break the silence between us.

He answered, "I know, I know it will mean the death of my mother," he was serious his face set in a dark scowl.

"Can I, do it?" he grumbled under his breath.

"No,"

"We're leaving for Abnegation in two days' time, you will be tasked with heading a team of your choosing," he was giving me leeway.

"Lynn, Uriah, Peter, Tris, Myra, Marlene, Christina, and Will," he smirked again.

He answered, as the mocha scent hit me a little harder "I guessed as much," but our conversation was cut short as Frank ran in his face red.

"Eric now, we have an issue." With this Eric and Frank left me by the chasm as I shrugged walking to find my friends.

 **Eric's point of view…**

I hated walking away from her, she had no clue how deranged I was when we found her blood, the sheer fact she was taken with me a room away. But Frank wouldn't have cut in unless it was important and right now everything was, we are now at war, I vowed to go back to how Dauntless was how it should be.

I eye Frank "Report," was all I had to say as head Dauntless leader, he looked worried.

He answered, "Three from over the wall have made it to the gate, they asked for entrance. One was recognized we brought them under cover here to Dauntless." He said this was very abnormal as we look to be heading to the meeting room. Rilee waited outside.

Rilee spoke "Three armed but not hostile, all former Dauntless. Report was they lived in the Fringe when the head of the facility, David, cracked like a nut. Trying to kill them all, they escaped and blew it before the Death or Memory serum leaked. David was obsessed with Divergents saying they are pure, that they are how we are supposed to be," this sounded accurate.

I pinched the bridge of my nose "Sounds logical, let's get this over with," I turned entering, but I wasn't ready to see the old faces, the faces of ones I once knew.

Amar stood a not so very nice smile in place "I can't fathom how you made head leader," was all he said, I could only growl in response.

"I killed Max, and my girl killed Elba," he didn't look surprised.

Next was George Wu, he died days after the man sitting next to him. I could only stare in shock at him, his hair longer now, a few new scars, his clothes torn. "Frank get their sizes, they need Dauntless clothes and weapons." Frank left us.

"Percy," my best friend stood before his body impacted with mine, his arms around me.

He spoke, his voice deeper now "Eric you dog, look at you leading Dauntless. I need a major favor, you and I have time to talk. Use whatever power you have in Erudite, I need to see Wyatt and Cara." I didn't know how to tell him.

I gave Rilee a look "Percy, things have changed. We are at war with our home faction, my mother turned on us. Wyatt isn't in Erudite she was a faction transfer, she is okay," but Percy gave me a bewildered look.

"Where is she?" now he was on the brink, he missed her, he needed her.

I spoke "She was a faction transfer into Dauntless," he made for the door as it opened with Frank.

"No wait, change and talk. I have somethings you need to know, Rilee grab Four," they needed to see each other as her brothers, she loved them both.

Percy changed as I talked "We found out Wyatt has a brother, by blood. It is Four. Wyatt was taken by my mother, Wyatt is Divergent like you, but she escaped days later. We declared to take out Erudite. Cara was used to torment Wyatt, so Cara is here as well. Wyatt that damn girl, Percy. Man, you'd be so damn proud of her," Percy looked on the verge of tears as he dressed and listened to my small story.

"You were a large part of her fears, maybe now those fears will be put to rest," I added but he looked pained.

"You three are welcomed back, but make no mistake one false move and I will kill you. Dauntless and returning to the old ways are my main priority." They each nodded when the door reopened.

Four looked pale, his face was clear, he was shocked "Amar, Percy," but he gave Percy another look.

"Four, you look great. I am so happy to see you my friend," Amar hugged his prodigy. But Percy just stood back.

"Percy and Four, I see the way you are looking at each other. Jealousy. Wyatt loves you both, don't cause her anymore trouble,"

Four agreed first after Percy did we were able to leave, I would have to make a speech soon. I figured she would be in the Pit and I was right. Four left us walking over, he talked to Wyatt who was hugging him placing a kiss to his cheek.

"See he wants her love and attention," I heard muttered, I shook my head.

"Stop, friend or not. Wyatt loves him so you will not hurt her," now he looked shocked.

I see his face turning back to her "She grew up, her chubby cheeks gone now. Eric, I missed her every day I was gone. But coming back under the watch of David would have been harder. Cara? Has she married?" he asked as Wyatt and Tris started walking our way.

I laughed "No, she hasn't," this seemed to perk him up.

"Stay," I groaned walking away. I walked up to the girls wrapping my arms around Wyatt, Tris gave me a grossed out look.

"Hello to you too, Eric," she turned in my arms placing a kiss to my lips when a loud voice broke it up really fast.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY BABY SISTER!" Percy was going to get it. Wyatt jumped from my arms and into Tris as they gazed in disbelief behind me, I moved to the side.

"Percy?" Wyatt asked right before she blacked out, I was thankful that Tris could hold her up, I rushed forward picking her up.

"Tris alert the ward she is coming. Percy, she is my girlfriend, you have no say. I love you but not like I love her. I was stupid when I was younger, she forgave me," Percy still looked angry but shoved passed and followed us to the ward. Cara was in there a lethal look on her face.

"What have you done, Eric?" Her voice cracked like a whip.

"Nothing, it was our new guest. Try ripping him a new ass, Cara," and she was ready too even after she saw Percy.


	24. It was not a dream

_**Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As always, I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see character pictures and outfits then head on over to my polyvore Noellamonster. Thank you for reading and please leave a review!**_

 **Cara's point of view…**

I look beyond Eric as he passes me, my eyes go wide, my heart feels as if it might explode in my chest. Percy stood behind him, his eyes wide they stood out from his face, a few new scars, his body bigger. But he was very alive, very, for the moment. He has already caused enough trouble to come waltzing back in here upsetting Angel, Wyatt has had a rough go over this passed ten days.

I narrow my eyes, taking deep calming breathes, but all I smell is Percy, a hint of Mocha and spices from Eric, but Percy had this citrus and pine nut smell I always loved. Even as we stare at each other in the Ward, the cold stone walls encasing us, I was so angry. Angry at him for the years of pain he gave Wyatt and I, if anger had a smell it would be smoke and roasted mellows. He looked scared, nervous, anxious so many seeable emotions running over him.

A booming voice shook me from my daze, my anger coming back full steam "What were you thinking Percy? I asked you to wait, Wyatt shouldn't have had to deal with the shit you pulled," Eric was yelling moving over to Percy, I saw it before Percy could even blink. Eric's fist made harsh and a very sudden impact to Percy's face, the right side swelling fast, my first instinct was to coddle Percy and scream at Eric.

Percy clamored to his feet "Stay away from Wyatt, Eric. I have no clue what twisted ass game you're playing, but you won't be playing it with her," Percy was still no match for Eric, all Eric did was chuckle.

He answered, "You have no say, she is already my girl. It isn't some game, I seriously have no time for your shit, we are at war with Erudite and Wyatt is dead center of it. I will not see her hurt again," Eric was a rabid animal when it concerned Wyatt.

I cut in "Percy you will shut your mouth, I may not like Eric and Angel together, face it Eric you messed up with her, Rilee loved her. But she loves you, so get your act together. How dare you come back here and try to dictate anything Angel does, she is a grown woman. You have been gone, where do you get off faking your death? Do you know how much Wyatt and I were affected, how much your best friend was, Eric has held on to so much guilt." I moved forward ready to do as much damage as possible to his face.

But Frank and Rilee walked in, Rilee shoved passed Eric going to Wyatt's beside. Percy watching this interaction with a glimmer in his eyes "What happened to her?" Rilee was pissed, his eyes turning darker, colder not something I have seen from the well natured Dauntless leader.

Eric was fuming now "She is still my girl, Rilee. How about you worry about finding another to chase after,"

I yelled "ENOGUH, THIS IS ABOUT WYATT. NOT YOU SORRY EXCUSES FOR MEN," Ines gave me a firm look, Marlene was cleaning Wyatt's forehead her look matched her mothers.

"Can you all take this outside, last time I checked Wyatt was hurt because of you lot. Cara get over here and help," Marlene had a stronger attitude than her mother as I walked over helping Ines.

"She fainted from shock. Whose good idea was it to surprise her?" all fingers pointed to Percy.

Wyatt's eyes began to flutter open, her hand on her head as she groaned "What the hell, I had the oddest dream," her body trying to sit up.

I laughed touching her head as our eyes made contact, whatever she saw in them made her face bunch up "It wasn't a dream, was it?" it was a question as I shook my head no, helping her to a sitting position.

Her eyes landed on Eric, then Rilee before landing on Percy who smiled "Percy?" her face was contorted, pain flashed.

"Wyatt, I am so sorry. I had to escape, Jeanine was after me, I overheard Elba and Max one night planning to off me and Amar at the same time, Nattily Prior helped us make our way over the fence. We had no time to come for you or I would have come for you and Cara, Wyatt I have never wanted to cause you pain. We ended up in a very demented faculty on the outer rim run by a man named Daniel. He was all about Divergent's and the level of purity they are, I wasn't 100%, I only had two factions, if you had three or more you're pure. We had to escape but in the process, destroy the facility killing everyone. He was going to release a memory serum into the air, I wasn't going to risk you guys forgetting about me," Percy pleaded moving closer to his sister as Four walked in and headed towards Wyatt, we all watched as Four sat with her his arms going around her, whispering into her ear as a few tears leaked out. I sit too holding her.

"I just need time, to factor in all this new information. Eric when do we leave for Abnegation?" her eyes looked into his, heart breaking eyes.

"In the morning, are you fit to lead your team?"

She stood "I am," with that Eric pulled her into a bone crushing hug.


	25. Wage your war

Myra and I are the first to be woken up, the rest wake behind us, this has to look the part, I am a surprise, as we leave during the middle of the night so a few of us can get to the roofs of Abnegation. Tris and I are together, Will and Chris have to look as if they're under her control as Myra and Peter hit another roof. Erudite is coming armed and ready to kill every single Abnegation member, our goal is to make sure we take people out, but save Rilee's mum, and the Priors.

Tris dresses her face paler than normal as we all have the same look, fear. It was okay to have fear but it was essential to move passed that fear and take a stand against injustice. I pulled on the black mesh insert skinny pants with a black halter lace crop top, we need freer movement, even if that meant showing skin.

Myra spoke her voice so soft "Let me do your hair," she made her rounds with Christina doing hair, I let her braid mine it would get in my way otherwise, and this was my finale pay back on Jeanine, I needed to not make mistakes.

Peter moves over as we all head from the dorm, all the leader's along with Four stood together waiting as all of Dauntless converged together. Eric was the one to speak "Dauntless on this day will live up to its name, it's reason for being. We go against another faction, some of our home faction, a sad day but one that will go down in our history. We are here to protect against any enemies either near or far, on our homeland or not. Some of you will not return, some of you will, I am willing to take the risk of dying to protect our factions and our small fraction of this planet as we know it. Are you willing to risk it?"

Dauntless let out a loud single cry as agreement, we all agreed if we died, that was it we moved on to whatever adventure death brings. I moved closer to Rilee, Frank and Four seeing Percy on Eric's other side giving me a look as my friends joined me.

"You be safe now, Wyatt. I will try and protect you once our groups unite as we move on Erudite." Four held me close as Rilee moved in on this hug.

"Please be safe, I care for you very much, it destroyed me to not have you around. Make sure mum makes it to Amity, please I can't lose her," he whispered as we hugged, I was alone with Tris talking when Eric walked up with two guns, and rounds which we took.

"You know your job, I will be on the ground floor until we reach Erudite, Wyatt please be safe, I can't say it enough, run back here if you two must but stay safe." His lips crashed down on mine as Percy, Four, well all of Dauntless looked on. Tris, Myra, Peter and I leave first we have our hooks and lines to do what we need as we take the train first, we would be there for over an hour before any arrived, we are to secure important Abnegation members first than move to the roofs.

So we run, my hands clamping down on the car door handle swinging myself in as the rest joined in "Peter watch her, Myra watch him," I say as we stay low to the train car floor as an added safety measure. Tris was the one to point out Abnegation so we jump on her call, my feet hitting with enough force my knee's rattle. The smell of the morning grass still wet with dew mixed with the clean smell of Abnegation. We move as one, staying to the gray walls of the square buildings I had Rilee's mums house number as she was our first one.

Number 23 was dead head we had little time as I was the first into the small home, she was sleeping as I held my hand up "I will go secure her, keep watch," no words just simple nods of their heads as I climbed the stairs, seeing pictures of Rilee growing up, they stopped when he became a faction transfer.

He told me her room was to the left, so I went to the left seeing her door open and her body in the bed as I moved with noise to the bedside, my hand clamped down over her mouth as she tried to put up a fight. "My name is Wyatt, I am from Dauntless, Rilee sent me," this had her calming down her bright green eyes wide as she tried to look around.

"He is coming, look Erudite has planned the total wipeout of Abnegation, they think we are on their side but we are going to start a war. I am to get you and a few others to a safe nest in Amity. I need you to dress and come with me, please," and she did, she was around 55 and not able to move as fast which was not good.

"My son," she said as we hit the ground floor.

"He is coming at dawn, but he wants you safe and out of Abnegation. He will meet you in Amity tonight," Tris answered her as she gave Tris one look and a smile lit her fragile face.

"Beatrice," she smiled patting Tris.

Tris spoke next, "Hello, ma'am. We need to secure my parents as well as Marcus for now," with that we move as dawn is coming, We send Peter and Myra to number 43 as we hit number 12 with his mum with us.

Her house had a small light in the kitchen on as we moved in, my gun up as we creep in, with a single peek inside the kitchen my blood boiled seeing her brother. I moved knocking him out, this traitor would pay with his life.

Tris turned from the sight with a single nod, as I held my hands up to Rilee's mum, she understood enough to stop moving, no noise. "Tris go fast, we are short on time," I bent down using zip ties to secure Caleb to the pillar.

"Hurry," could be heard as feet on stairs was next as Tris walked in with her parents. Her father made a step forward towards his son.

I spoke, "No, Mr. Prior. Caleb is now under Dauntless rule, he played a very nasty hand in my torture and experimentation along with Jeanine Matthews. See he is her little spy, he was here to make sure you died, he gave information on Tris as well," Mrs. Prior gave a sad nod of her head stepping back with Tris, her arms going around Rilee's mum.

He spoke, " My son would never,"

I bend down waffling a small white stick under his nose, his body jerked and tried to move "Hello again, Caleb. Now we have an issue, so either I can put this blade into your arty or you can be honest for once and give me information."

Tris stood beside me, "Answer her, I will not stand in her why of killing you. You're no brother of mine," she spat as her father started to accost her.

Mr. Prior spoke, "Than you're no daughter of mine,"

"How selfish, Mr. Prior." I smiled running the knife over his son who looked ready to piss himself. "You should fear me, I am Divergent, who knows what sick things my mind will have me do to you. So why spy, why turn in your own blood,"

He smiled giving a small chuckle "To rid us of your kind, you and my sister. Even if that means, my family dies too, Erudite will rule over all factions and your kind will be our lab rats," his father now took a few steps back, tears coming to his eyes seeing the true monster his son had really been molded into.

"You know your own mother and sister are Divergent 100 percent, but hey I already knew all this. I needed your father to hear this, No worries I will be back for you," another hit and he was out as Tris and I moved his body to a safer spot.

"Alright, Mrs. Prior I have Tris protected, I need you to use all your Dauntless skill to get your husband and her to Amity, along with Marcus who should be outside. You must move now before Erudite come," she gave me a nod before hugging her little girl, pulling away she braced her hands on Tris's face.

Her words echoed "I am so proud of you, Tris. You stay strong, and I will as well," we walk them out, as Peter hands me a smaller gun as I pass it to Mrs. Prior as a just in case. "Don't give it up at Amity it means life or death," we watched them until they are safe in the cover of the trees.

"Go now," we split up, climbing when trucks can be heard, we did the first half of our job as we lay low seeing the train thirty minutes later as Dauntless file off looking like zombies. Eric jumps off, giving his mother a hug this where it began, both my mother's stood at Jeanine's sides. I would see those woman die by end of day.

I give Tris a look, we could both die by the end, but hell it be my pleasure to die fighting with her. Her arm was out as I clasped it, my hand wrapping around her elbow

A old Shieldmaiden poem came to mind, "We greet the Day

We greet the sons of Day

We greet the Night and her daughters.

Look at us now

with soft and tender eyes.

Bless us who are sitting here, as we head into battle.

We greet the Gods

We greet the Goddesses

Greetings to you; Holy Earth

Give us the gift

of knowledge and wisdom,

and let us have hands that can heal." Tris closed her eyes, she knew I had a thing for Vikings.

We aim, ready for the signal.

"Eric, I am about to issue the signal. I would like to move to safety first," his mother smiled.

"Issue it now, let us not waste more time. I will escort you myself to a safe spot," she smiled patting his cheek, a sign of affection he never received. As he escorted his mother as she stated the beacon, Dauntless went into action, pulling Abnegation from their house screaming as Erudite pulled guns on them, forcing them into the dirt. The shrill cries of young children, mother's and infants hit our ears.

It was pure terror for Abnegation, but an Erudite male I once knew pulled a gun on a girl with a sick smile, she couldn't be older than 12, her pale eyes filled with tears. He was going to kill her, I had no choice as I pulled the trigger, no child was going to die if we could help it. More screaming as the girls parents wrapped her in their arms, she was un-harmed as the boy I once knew lay there dead, blood running from his head as I stood firing now.

I yelled, "Dauntless move now," as Rilee, Frank and Four echoed me as more Dauntless came from the train, Al, Edward, Amar and Percy rushed in a I fired along with Tris.

Eric gazed up his mother had a look of fear now, as did my own "You couldn't wait?" he yelled his hands up a frustrated look.

"A child was about to die by the hand of our home faction, no babe, I couldn't," I scoffed firing at his mother as he fell to the side to avoid being hit with a bullet. Six Erudite men covered her moving fast as I turned towards Tris "Coming,"

I ran getting as much momentum before jumping to the next building, firing again, the ground floor was a battle and it would get worse.

I lost her for a few minutes, but I see her as she has her guards dragging Will and Rilee, I leave Tris to follow or not as I make the biggest jump I have ever attempted, I missed, my hands hit the edge of the building as I was able to pull myself up, alerting Tris to make her way using a new path, this was a no go.

I know I am bleeding but I jump again, again barley making it, i find the right building bending I hooked the line up, this time I was jumping down and needed to not break my damn neck. I wait until they are right below me as I jump, seeing the ground coming right at me, my heart racing.

I land, using my line to wrap around the mans neck who held Rilee, with enough force his body went slack and Rilee was free to help take the rest out, we secured Will, killing five, but Jeanine and my mother's made it to the safety of the truck as it vanished from sight.

"Thank you, kitten," he kissed me, it was this burning passion with him as Will gave us a look as I pulled away.

I laughed, "You have a death wish,"

We move to secure Abnegation, now. Bu the battle was now moving to Erudite.


	26. Fighting our war

_**Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As usual I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see outfits and character pictures head on over to Polyvore Noellamonster. Thanks for reading and please review!**_

It was mid-day when we had to stop and rest, Marlene and her mother taking care of the wounded, including myself. Eric held me still as she put thirty stitches in me. "Wyatt, come on. Let me help you, Eric is needed with the other leaders before we head into a second battle," Percy came up to us, his voice level but it was the lingering wariness where Eric was concerned that made me on edge. Percy was still his best friend, but Percy made it known that because of Eric and my past I was better suited for Rilee.

Eric turned "Listen, I know my duties, you should also understand yours. And Wyatt is one of my highest duties, her wellbeing and everything about her. Her other brother has given us his blessing, you should fall in line as well. Rilee likes to flirt with death by kissing on my girl, but for now you get your group ready they will be prepared for us," he was pissed every fiber he had, his stance and tone alerted us of it.

I could be seen rolling my eyes as Tris came to my left helping me, "Look, I am with Eric, you, Rilee and anyone else who has long standing issues with it can fuck off. It is my life, mine to live to the fullest," walking away from both men, the smell of alcohol and blood mixing like a sick cocktail.

Tris turned back "They are staring each other down, by the body language Percy is going to back down from the more lethal Dauntless. I figure Rilee and Four are the only two to stand fully up to Eric, more so Four than Rilee. Chris says we are ready and rested and waiting to leave, she wants a nap so we need to attack and be done with them," waggling her brows as we walked to my command group, all stood looking ready, but the fatigue, and hunger was plastered to their faces, we would eat and sleep later now was the time for action. Percy stormed by me, we have barely talked since his return, we would have time after the battle, if we both survived.

I was taking the right, third floor with my group, Eric and a few have the left of the same floor, this was a fucked floor, experiments and such being down. We are to secure and lock down the most guarded floor of Erudite.

It was called a suicide mission, they would try to protect that floor beyond all reason because what has been stored there. I alerted my team, they didn't back down, all young bloods, all new members with the strength and no sense every elder Dauntless had.

I was taking the lead as every group started pulling off from the main group who would attack the front and main entrance to my home faction, one we will see raise once more to its greatness with the right common core goals.

The smell of blood faded only to be replaced by a cleaner smell as we hit Erudite, the window's sealed shut, this what was we had anticipated, Four and his four-man team would go in from the side making their way into the main computer room and release the shutters. I was going top side as my feet hit the building scaling up my hands on the thick black rope, this was dangerous one single wrong step my team and I be flat puddles of goo on the floor. Lucky my hair was up as the weather turned, rain in heavy sheets came down, the winds picked up making the climb that much harder. A shrill scream made me glance over my shoulder seeing Marlene hanging by her leg. Uriah and I descended, she was going to fall and we wouldn't make it to her in time.

Eric was looking on, not able to do anything, I un-hooked and without any thought jumped, praying the entire time I would be able to grab her rope or we would both be dead. my hands wrapped around the black rope only to keep falling the burning and pain flared in both my hands as I stopped inches away from knocking her down "Hold on, Mar. I need you to grasp my forearm after I hook to your rope. Your hook has already shattered on the ground," she was crying by now, her face blood red as I buckled myself in, before leaning back until my hands are hanging above my head.

"Swing," I called the blood rushing to my own head as Marlene swung her body back and forth, I could see Eric below us his face enraged as her hands latched on to my arms. We twisted and turned until I was giving her a piggy back, Uriah looking relieved and pale, his eyes watery and wide as I climbed slower now, her weight and mine making it that much harder. But soon enough Uriah, Peter, and Will grab Marlene helping her to the safety of the roof, I am over seeing Tris with my own rope curled around her shoulder's.

I lay panting before we do something even more dangerous, we stashed a well carved, wooden plank, that would be able to hit Erudite from this building. Hundreds of feet down we saw Four being lead into Erudite by Arenado and Mr. Matthews, but we have the green light. Eric, Rilee, and a few others give me the signal.

I ducked down, "Ready, I will be going first, we will be under heavy fire once we enter, we ready for this?"

They each smiled looking around, "I said goodbye to mama and Zeke just in case, Zeke has it easy and we don't." my heart broke hearing Uriah, but the same thing was echoed by Marlene and Lynn. Tris, Will, Christina and I had no one really to say bye to, I know Will and I said it to Cara as a precaution, I couldn't manage saying bye to Percy, Four, or Eric.

I walked the plank, looking down seeing Dauntless watching as a gun shot rang out, the bullet went into my shoulder, my body fell flat against the wood. The gunshots rang, the screams filled my ears, vibrating in my head as I crawled having to secure our way in, I was nearly there my firearm out and ready as I fired hitting old friends, friends of Percy's one by one falling. They thought I had fallen, their mistake for not having the nerve to come from their hiding spot and check to make sure I was in fact gone.

I was safe, guarding the hatch while my team descended. Tris was the first to me, Chris and Marlene next as the rest gave the signal all was okay. "Shit, it didn't go through. The bullet is lodged," Marlene screamed in fury.

I groaned in pain "Fuck it, we don't have time. Wrap it and we move in four, we secure our target, Four should have the shutters open in the next two minutes," they had no real choice but to listen as I grimaced in pain, Marlene would make her mother proud.

We stick close to the walls, we entered on the sixth floor taking the deserted staircase to the right, the only sound was the clinking of our boots on metal, Uriah looked from the small window "Clear," I moved first, so many chemical's the smells filled the air as we pulled on our mask's.

I motioned for Peter and Tris to go to the left Uriah and Marlene the right, Will and Chris with me as I fired, the sounds vibrated off the walls, I fired shattering the glass above their heads as they scattered in fear and are easily picked off. We move on the rest coming from every angle, Tris and Will are hurt as I stop, Tris was pale way too pale. I rushed her, her arm over my shoulder helping her as the rest covered us.

I leave her on the table and send a message to Cara, who was making her way into the building as we stay with Tris, and finish our mission, we tied up or killed any. The loud noise of more gunfire came as Cara and two others rushed in all three looking in a panic.

"Tris and Will are hurt," I say leaving her with Christina and Marlene to guard, we had to secure files, mine in fact she would keep them around for her own voyeur pleasure. We see movement in back, I knew there was something there as I and the rest move heading towards it.

A locked door was all we found, a keypad flashes red. "Blow it," I moved as I shook my head fighting off the dizziness. Peter smirked take C4 from his bag, he was talented and nice when not under her serum. We all moved it would only be a small explosion but to be safe, the room shook and debris littered the floor as we are covered in white dust.

I coughed "Nice, Peter," he just shrugged his gun up as I entered through the dust, once it cleared we stood in front of Jeanine, and my mother's, our guns out and pointed right at them.

They each in turn looked ready to shit themselves, "Nice for us to meet again,"

This wasn't ending well.

"Take them, they will each meet their fate." Jeanine looked more annoyed now, my hands on the zip ties as we advanced down to the first floor, where the battle looked to have ended.

Eric was standing as they tore his mother's portrait down, his father watched as we tossed the three women down. "I want them dead," was all I said as Peter held me up.


	27. Birth

_**Hello fellow fanfiction writers and readers, here is another chapter of my story that I hope yall will enjoy. As usual I own nothing except new characters and ideas, I make no money from writing, and all rights go to the rightful owners. To see outfits and character pictures head on over to Polyvore Noellamonster. Thanks for reading and please review!**_

I dressed as Eric left the shower, his body dripping with water his face down right sinful, but I remain sitting waiting for him to dress for the day. He actually took his mother's death hard, love was love, I guess. I nor Four really batted an eyelash when our mother got death. Tris was very distraught over her brother's fate, so I stepped in, Jack after that granted him life in Amity. The Priors are very grateful to me, if not for my assistance it would have been death. Life was back to normal other than Percy leaving Dauntless with a once in a life time chance to go back to Erudite and marry Cara, he took it, I hoped after time he and I are back to how we once were.

I proposed some changes to Jack, Johanna and Mr. Prior to help ensure our safety, to ensure we don't go back to what we once were. A grand council with a leading faction member, a total rebuild of our city, deep underground is water, we have the man power now we needed the will.

So would say, I used everything in my means to get what I wanted, they be right. Over this last ten years, our city has become great, more than it ever was, power was up and running, building destroyed to use, great lakes came, nature returned it was Paradise now.

Tris and Four married nine years ago, Will and Christina eight, Marlene and Uriah nearly four. So even as I sit here watching my own husband dress as my hands rest on my round belly, and our twins playing on the floor waiting for their father to hurry.

Life was good.

His deep voice breaks into my day dream "Ready, love," his hand out to me. His face concerned as he helped me from the black leather sofa. It was a small yank but I was up as the twins came running up to me.

Their voices mixed together, identical twins, both with black hair and near black eyes, their hair nice unlike their fathers, they had longer hair to his short hair. They're taller than children their age other than Jasper my nephew, he looked a lot Tobias.

A new set of Dauntless born are being raised here, we take pride in that, but we also let them know they have the right to choose. Choose where they want to go when they reach sixteen years of age, a right of passage.

I yawned before taking the twins hands "Come on Brice, come on Bradly. Time for us to go see your friends and have something to eat." I still refused to know the sex of our last child, and I mean last. I helped Eric with Dauntless as a Dauntless leader and head researcher here.

Tris was finally having a girl after having Jasper, Christina has yet to have a child, and Marlene is with child as well. The halls are more lit now, wider as well with certain sections like the chasm are not kid safe. An ideal we came up with after the first round of kids were born and I told Eric I was with child. Rilee left to Abnegation about five years ago, but once I was chosen by Dauntless to head our section of the council with Jack, Johanna, Rilee, Percy and Lynn from our new faction, Assentation. We will never have another factionless issue again.

I walked with the twins and Eric behind us his hand resting on the small of my back "Momma, are we having a sister or brother," Brice asked Eric was the one having a harder time telling his sons apart, a fact which I am sure will haunt him until the day he dies.

But as their momma I knew, "We will find out in two months, boys. But which one do you trouble makers want," it echoed around the cold stone walls, the smell of the white waters and musk could be smelt.

"Brother," Eric dreaded having a girl. I think it is another boy as well, so we aren't worried. Four waved us over, well me and the kids not Eric but it was a package deal.

The boys run off towards their favorite Uncle "UNCLE TOBIAS, JASPER," was screamed as I hugged Tris and Christina. Maya smiled walking over with Frank hand in hand taking a seat next to us.

"Hey, Eric. We have to go look over the bridge soon," he shoved more food into his mouth as I stood, my stomach uneasy.

"I am going to go get something for my stomach, Eric take the twins to the care center for me please," he was up his hand on my belly.

"I am sure it was watching Frank eat," I smiled as giggles are heard. I kissed my nephew and twins before Tris, Maya, and Christina all walked with me.

It was the same but not, a few left us a few joined us over the years, but right now I was about to have this baby. It was hours before the twins were born and Eric was unbearable in those hours.

The ward was nearly empty when I lay in a gown on the bed, ready to get checked, it might be a false alarm. It hurt as normal but Marlene smiled "Hope you're ready, you are dilated to nine. My head hit the pillows thirty minutes later as a scream ripped from my throat, Tris holding my hand as Christina and Maya ran to find my husband who was either at the bridge or on the train.

"Breath, Wyatt. Just fucking breath," Tris yelled over my own screams, Tobias was helping Marlene until Shauna arrived or her mother. His face was pale, but he never let that stop him.

My voice was nearly gone as Tobias cleaned my forehead once again "WHERE IS MY FUCKING MORONIC HUSBAND. I FUCKING HATE HIM," I really did, never again would I have another, Cara created a shot and it was mine.

Tris tried, bless her soul, she tried "He is coming, let's not forget to breathe," I may kill her.

Marlene was a pro "Push, now," this was the same process every contraction I pushed as hard as I could, hearing monitors going off.

"Are you stupid, don't you know how to breathe," Tris snapped as I lunged for her, she moved right in time.

"It helps not to, you want to keep breathing you'll hold my nasty hand and shut it," and she did.

"Black hair, come on last push, Wyatt," I gave it everything I had, it felt like every single bone in my body was on fire as they broke at once. Screaming mixed with my own as my child wiggled from my womb.

The cries continued until the baby was cleaned and wrapped in the black blanket, keeping the little one snug and safe.

In that moment when our child was handed to me by a beaming Four, in walked Eric and with a smirk Four announced "Congratulations Eric, you have a little girl," the only sound after was Eric's head hitting the door frame and a few chuckles to be honest.

But my daughter would be loved.


End file.
